The Firefighters defeated Dong-A University 12-4 and achieved their 10th consecutive victory.
In the 17th episode of the baseball variety show 'Fire Baseball,' which was aired on the official YouTube channel of Studio C1 at 8 p.m. on the 25th, the Firefighters were seen triumphing over Dong-A University with explosive hitting. Previously, the Firefighters had secured a slim 3-2 lead with Jeong Yi-yun's sacrifice fly and Park Jae-wook's two-run homer.
On the mound, Shin Jae-young silenced the opposition in the 5th and 6th innings, showcasing the performance of 'Untouchable Mapdori'. With careful pitching and a crazy trajectory slider, he struck out Dong-A University batters repeatedly, leaving them unable to respond.
The Firefighters' firepower exploded in the bottom of the 6th inning. After lead-off hitter Kim Jae-ho successfully reached base on a walk, Lim Sang-woo boosted the atmosphere with a lucky hit. After setting up a situation with one out and the bases loaded, the heavy-hitting Lee Dae-ho stepped up to the plate. With the roaring support of the crowd, he hit a massive grand slam that flew deep into the outfield, coloring the Gocheok Dome with cheers. Following this, Jeong Yi-yun's walk, Kim Mun-ho's double, and Park Jae-wook's two-run timely double brought the Firefighters' lead to 9-2.
However, in the top of the 7th inning, Shin Jae-young started to falter. He allowed a significant double to Dong-A University's Kang Byeong-wook and then gave up a hit to the following batter, yielding one run. Fortunately, Park Jae-wook caught a foul pop-up for the final out of the inning.
In the top of the 8th inning, Manager Kim Seong-geun brought pitcher Song Seung-jun to the mound. The Gocheok Dome was filled with emotion during his first appearance since the establishment of the team, with some spectators seen shedding tears. Since this was the appearance he had been hoping for, Song Seung-jun displayed all of his skills. He showcased a brilliant comeback performance with experienced pitching and even struck out a batter.
While the Firefighters' solid mound held off Dong-A University's lineup, luck was on the side of the Firefighters' batters. They secured consecutive walks to add another run and then, with Choi Soo-hyun's one-RBI sacrifice fly and Jeong Seong-hun's timely hit, a 12-3 mercy win was within sight.
In the top of the 9th inning, the Firefighters faced a crisis against Dong-A University's counterattack, which showed no signs of giving up. Song Seung-jun struggled with his control and faced a no-out bases-loaded situation, but he managed to resolve the crisis by turning double play on the 8th batter, Kang Byeong-wook. Following that, another pitcher, Seong Seong-gwon, who was making his first appearance since the team was founded, came in. He gave up a hit to the 9th batter, Jang Seong-hyun, allowing one run, but he caught the next batter with a ground ball to shortstop, securing the Firefighters' victory at 12-4. The players on the bench celebrated the achievement of their 10 consecutive wins, moving the viewers emotionally.
The 17th episode of 'Fire Baseball' surpassed 100,000 simultaneous viewers just 11 minutes after its initial release. The peak simultaneous viewership reached 228,000. Next week, 'Fire Baseball' will present the match between the Firefighters and the independent league representative team that took place on July 27 at the Incheon Munhak Stadium.
In particular, the match against the independent league representative team is expected to draw more attention as group viewing events at CINE Q in Sindorim are scheduled for September 1 (Monday) and September 8 (Monday). Tickets for the event will be available for reservation through CINE Q starting at 2 p.m. on August 26 (Tuesday).
Meanwhile, 'Fire Baseball' is also set to feature a match against the independent baseball team Woncheon Miracle at the Gocheok Sky Dome on August 31 (Sunday) at 2 p.m. The game will be available for reservation through yes24 on August 27 (Wednesday) at 2 p.m., and it will be broadcast live on SBS Plus.
The exhilarating match between the Firefighters and the independent league representative team can be viewed on the official YouTube channel of Studio C1 at 8 p.m. on September 1 (Monday).
[Photo] Capture from 'Fire Baseball' broadcast.
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