"Now I can breathe a little."
Did the Major League's 88-home run hitter feel such pressure? Patrick Wisdom (31), the new foreign hitter for the Kia Tigers, broke the silence of no hits with a powerful home run. In the game against the Kiwoom Heroes on the 25th at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field, he played as the second batter and third baseman, achieving 2 hits in 5 at-bats with 3 RBIs and 1 run scored, leading the team to an 11-6 victory.
He had no hits in 8 plate appearances in the opening two games. It seemed he showcased his patience by drawing 3 walks. Since he hadn’t hit any good balls, he unknowingly felt pressure. Manager Lee Beom-ho noted that with Kim Do-young sidelined due to a thigh injury, he placed Wisdom as the second third baseman to enhance scoring potential. This change seemed to wake Wisdom up.
In his first at-bat in the bottom of the first inning with no outs and a runner on second base, he grounded out to the pitcher. In the third inning, he hit a fly ball to center field. For the first time, the ball flew deep into the outfield. In the bottom of the fourth, with the team leading 5-3, he hit a blast that cleared the left field wall with one out and a runner on second base. It was his first hit after 11 plate appearances and his first taste of success.
He flied out to second base in the sixth inning, but in the seventh inning with one out and runners on first and third, he delivered a timely hit that fell in front of the left fielder, achieving a multi-hit game. He had a refreshing performance that dispelled frustrations after just three games. His defense was also solid. In the fifth inning after two outs, he caught a hard-hit ball from Lee Joo-hyung and made a quick throw. It showed the stability of a Major League infielder.
After the game, Wisdom was surrounded by reporters. "(The home run was) off a high fastball. It was a great pitch to create a BARREL. It seemed to fly further than I expected. I felt a lot of pressure since I hadn't recorded any hits. Now, after the home run, I can breathe a little. I saw the third baseman until three months ago. He seems to be doing quite well, and I'm in a good mood," he said with a pleased expression.
He attributed the secret to hitting the home run to the advice of rookie Park Jae-hyun, who graduated high school. "Today, Park Jae-hyun came and advised me to time my swings well. After hearing that, my eyes opened up, and I was able to hit a home run," he said, smiling. He added, "I’ve felt all the pressures until now. Moving forward, I won’t feel pressure. The fans are passionate. They help me perform better when I'm playing," expressing his gratitude.
Regarding the reason he couldn't produce good hits in the opening two games, he explained, "I waited too much for the ball. Because of that, my timing was consistently behind. Today, I intended to be aggressive at the plate, and it worked out well. KBO League pitchers throw many different pitches. I am aware of that and am trying to hit further."
[OSEN]