"It's great to win by hitting well, but it feels even better to win by playing good defense."
The Hanwha Eagles finished their exhibition game against the Lotte Giants at Sajik Stadium in Busan on the 13th with a 3-3 draw.
It was a somewhat disappointing game from Hanwha's perspective. They reached base 20 times with 14 hits, 5 walks, and 1 hit by pitch, but managed to score only 3 runs. Although Noh Si-hwan hit a two-run home run in the 5th inning, they failed to capitalize on two bases-loaded chances in the 7th and 9th innings, leaving 14 runners on base.
It was frustrating, but Hanwha manager Kim Kyung-mun was smiling thanks to the defense. In the 8th inning, with no outs and runners on 1st and 2nd, shortstop Ha Joo-seok made an incredible one-bounce catch on a sharply hit ball by Lotte's Jeong Hoon, followed by a smooth handling for the throw to 2nd base. This resulted in a 6-4-3 double play consolidation.
Not only was the catch itself impressive, but the follow-up actions were also fluid. Ha Joo-seok's excellent defense recorded 2 outs in a situation where they could have allowed runs, and the shaky pitcher Jeong Woo-joo gained confidence. With 2 outs and a runner on 3rd, he handled Jeon Jun-woo's fly ball to right field, ending the inning without allowing any runs.
Not only Ha Joo-seok, but also second baseman Hwang Young-mook, who was substituted in, handled two difficult ground balls, easing the pressure on the pitchers. Although they missed a chance to win due to a lack of hitting efficiency, they managed to finish the game without a loss, drawing thanks to the solid defense.
Ahead of the game against Lotte on the 14th, Manager Kim Kyung-mun met with reporters and said, "It's great to win by hitting well, but it feels even better to win by playing good defense. Yesterday (13th), we had many opportunities but couldn't score, resulting in a lot of runners left on base. I think we should praise the defense," adding, "(Ha Joo-seok) could have made a mistake on a hit ball and lost, but he prevented it. It feels like we won even though we drew."
As Ha Joo-seok found stability in defense, Hanwha began to ponder how to organize their infield roster. Currently, they have Lee Do-yoon, Hwang Young-mook, Moon Hyun-bin as backups, and first baseman Kwon Kwang-min, but Ha Joo-seok has entered the competition. Manager Kim noted, "There are still 4 exhibition games left after today. I will continue to use them (infielders) and make a decision."
Meanwhile, Hanwha's lineup for the day included Lee Jin-young (left fielder), Choi In-ho (designated hitter), Estevan Florial (center fielder), Noh Si-hwan (third baseman), Chae Eun-seong (first baseman), An Chi-hong (second baseman), Lim Jong-chan (right fielder), Lee Jae-won (catcher), and Shim Woo-jun (shortstop). The starting pitcher was Eom Sang-baek. Moon Dong-joo, who pitched 19 pitches without allowing a run in 1 inning against SSG on the 11th, is expected to throw around 20 pitches in the 6th inning relief appearance.
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