The professional baseball LG Twins are challenging for their third consecutive victory. They need to get past the Hanwha Eagles' starting pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin.
LG will face Hanwha in their first match of the season at Seoul's Jamsil Stadium on the 25th. LG is tied for first place with two consecutive opening victories. Hanwha has one win and one loss.
On this day, LG will have Hong Chang-ki (right fielder), Song Chan-eui (left fielder), Austin (first baseman), Moon Bo-kyung (third baseman), Oh Ji-hwan (shortstop), Park Dong-won (catcher), Moon Jung-bin (designated hitter), and Park Hae-min (center fielder) and Koo Bon-hyeok (second baseman) as their starting lineup. Veteran Kim Hyun-soo was excluded from the starting lineup. Although Kim Hyun-soo performs well against Ryu Hyun-jin, he managed only one hit in eight at-bats during the opening two games.
Last year, against Ryu Hyun-jin, Hong Chang-ki had two hits and two walks in seven at-bats, Kim Hyun-soo had three hits in seven at-bats, Park Dong-won had three hits in six at-bats, and Shin Min-jae had two hits in four at-bats. In contrast, Moon Bo-kyung went hitless in seven at-bats, Austin had one hit in seven at-bats, Oh Ji-hwan had one hit in five at-bats, Park Hae-min had one hit in five at-bats, and Koo Bon-hyeok went hitless in four at-bats.
LG recorded 22 runs and hit seven home runs in the opening two games against Lotte. In the opening game on the 22nd, they had 15 hits, two home runs, and 12 runs, while on the 23rd, they recorded 13 hits, five home runs, and 10 runs.
LG's starting pitcher is foreign player Elieser Hernandez. He joined as a replacement player in July last year, recording 11 games (nine starts), three wins, two losses, one save, one hold, and an earned run average of 4.02. He faced Hanwha twice last year, recording one win and an earned run average of 3.27.
Hernandez had a perfect preparation for the season, pitching in two exhibition games with 9⅓ innings, 10 strikeouts, and no earned runs.
Ryu Hyun-jin, who returned to Korea from the United States last year, has faced LG three times, recording one win, one loss, and an earned run average of 1.84. Despite struggling in the opening game of the regular season last year against LG with 3⅔ innings, six hits allowed, three walks, and five earned runs (two unearned), he performed well in the second half with five innings without allowing earned runs and six innings allowing only one earned run.
Ryu Hyun-jin has the best record against LG among opposing teams, with 23 wins and nine losses in 38 career games and an earned run average of 2.33. Born on March 25, 1987, Ryu Hyun-jin will make his first career start on his birthday.
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