The professional baseball LG Twins have surged to a six-game winning streak.
During the six-game winning streak, LG recorded a team earned run average of 1.50, thanks to its dominant starting rotation. The team's batting lineup is hitting .320 (3rd in the league), producing runs without distinction between the upper and lower batting orders.
Additionally, backups Song Chan-eui (batting average .421) and Koo Bon-hyuk (batting average .333) are performing well, allowing regulars to rest and come in as pinch hitters. The team's focus in the late innings is remarkable. In tight contests, they have the power to break down the opposing team's main pitching lineup. LG is averaging 3.5 runs per game after the 7th inning. Particularly, LG batters have a batting average of .478 in situations within 2 runs after the 7th inning.
On the 28th, LG's starting lineup against NC at Changwon NC Park included Hong Chang-ki (designated hitter), Song Chan-eui (left fielder), Austin (first baseman), Moon Bo-kyung (third baseman), Park Dong-won (catcher), Moon Jung-bin (right fielder), Koo Bon-hyuk (shortstop), Park Hae-min (center fielder), and Shin Min-jae (second baseman).
Since NC's starting pitcher Logan is a left-hander, five right-handed batters were featured, excluding left-handed hitters Kim Hyun-soo (batting average .143) and Oh Ji-hwan (batting average .150) from the starting lineup. Manager Yeom Kyung-yeop noted, “Oh Ji-hwan was excluded for rest as the left-handed pitcher is coming out.” Kim Hyun-soo, who had a two-run hit with two outs in the eighth inning against Hanwha the previous day (27th), was also left out. Both have poor seasonal batting averages, which influenced the decision to provide consideration against challenging left-handed starters.
Manager Yeom Kyung-yeop mentioned, “If the starters rotate for rest (and are excluded from the starting lineup), they can be utilized as pinch hitters in crucial moments later.” This also provides opportunities for young backups such as Song Chan-eui, Koo Bon-hyuk, Moon Jung-bin, Lee Joo-heon, and Choi Won-young, creating a win-win effect.
LG's starting pitcher Chirinos pitched well, allowing two runs in six innings before handing the ball over to the bullpen in the seventh. In the seventh inning, with the score tied at 2-2 and one out with runners on first and second, Park Dong-won broke the deadlock with a timely hit against NC's bullpen pitcher Kim Min-kyu.
Later, Kim Hyun-soo came in as a pinch hitter in Moon Jung-bin's at-bat. Although Kim Hyun-soo struck out against the new pitcher Han Jae-seung, Oh Ji-hwan came in as a pinch hitter for Koo Bon-hyuk and hit a timely single to make it 4-2.
In the bottom of the seventh, the score was tied again at 4-4, and in the top of the eighth, LG took the lead 5-4 as Moon Bo-kyung faced pitcher Kim Jae-yeol with two outs and the bases loaded due to a wild pitch. In the ninth inning, against Ryu Jin-wook, lead-off hitter Kim Hyun-soo reached base with a single to right field. Oh Ji-hwan laid down a sacrifice bunt, but Ryu Jin-wook slipped and fell while attempting to make the play, resulting in an error. With no outs and the bases loaded, Shin Min-jae, batting ninth, secured the victory with a two-run timely hit. LG later added one more run due to a wild pitch by the pitcher.
In the late innings of the game, Kim Hyun-soo and Oh Ji-hwan came in as pinch hitters, changing the momentum. After coming off the bench, Kim Hyun-soo recorded one hit and one run from two at-bats, while Oh Ji-hwan had one hit, one RBI, and one run from two at-bats. This contributed to the team and improved their personal batting averages.
During the six-game winning streak, LG's focus in the late innings was impressive. They scored a total of 41 runs in six games, with over half of those, 21 runs, coming after the seventh inning. Especially in tight games, LG batters recorded a batting average of .478 (11 hits in 23 at-bats) with 14 walks when within a 2-run margin after the seventh inning.
Even with the opponent's main pitching lineup in play, they could not be easily stopped. On the 28th, NC activated its bullpen starting from the seventh inning, bringing in Kim Min-kyu, Han Jae-seung, Kim Jae-yeol, and Ryu Jin-wook, but they collapsed with six runs allowed on five hits, six walks, and two wild pitches.
Earlier, the main pitching lineups of Lotte (Kim Sang-soo, Koo Seung-min) and Hanwha (Park Sang-won, Joo Hyun-sang, Han Seung-hyuk) were also overwhelmed. Lotte's Koo Seung-min and Hanwha's Joo Hyun-sang are currently down in the second team.
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