LG Twins pitcher Ham Deok-ju recorded a save for the first time in three years.
LG defeated KT 6-5 on the 30th at Suwon KT Wiz Park. Ham Deok-ju preserved the one-run victory by getting out of a no-out, runners on first and second jam in the bottom of the ninth.
There had been three instances of three consecutive walk-off losses. After LG suffered a walk-off loss to KT the previous day, they set the third such record in history. If LG had failed to escape the no-out, runners on first and second jam in the bottom of the ninth that day, they would have become the unwanted first in KBO history to suffer four consecutive walk-off losses.
Leading 6-5 in the bottom of the ninth, Ham Deok-ju entered the game. Before the game, manager Youm Kyoung-youb said the primary relievers Woo Kang-hoon, Jang Hyun-sik, Kim Jin-sung and Kim Young-woo, who had pitched in two consecutive games, would not pitch and would rest that day. He said that if they had the lead, Ham Deok-ju would be used as the save pitcher.
Facing the first batter Choi Won-joon, Ham Deok-ju worked a full count and issued a walk on the 10th pitch to put a runner on. Then a grounder off Kim Hyun-soo was misplayed when shortstop Oh Ji-hwan charged in to field it and dropped it, creating a no-out, runners on first and second jam.
Pitching coach Kim Kwang-sam came out to the mound and briefly broke the momentum before leaving. Afterward, Ham Deok-ju got Jang Seong-woo, who hit the walk-off single the previous day, on an infield fly out to first base, and got Hilliard, who had three hits including two doubles that day, on an infield fly out to third base. With two outs and runners on first and second, he retired Kim Sang-su on a fly out to left field to end the game.
After the game, Ham Deok-ju said, "Today (the primary relievers) all rested, and there are many young players, so I thought that if the situation came, it could be a bit difficult for them to go out. It came as a good opportunity for me, and I think I was lucky to be able to preserve it like this."
It was his first save in three years. It was his first since the July 27, 2023, game against KT in Suwon. It was his first save in 1,008 days. Ham Deok-ju said, "I don't remember. It's been so long that I don't remember well, and of course pitching in a save situation is important, but I think you have to pitch well in other situations too, so I didn't think too much and just pitched."
The initials YC 54 were written on Ham Deok-ju's cap. They are the initials and number of Yoo Young-chan. Ham Deok-ju laughed and said, "I was going to write it, but Chan-gyu hyung wrote it for me."
How did he manage his mental state with no outs and runners on first and second? LG had suffered three consecutive walk-off losses through the previous day. Ham Deok-ju said, "(Against Jang Seong-woo) honestly, he was the batter who hit the walk-off yesterday, and he's a good hitter these days, so rather than trying to throw so well that he couldn't hit, I thought it would be most advantageous to locate slightly lower to induce a ground ball. I tried to throw as low as possible."
He added, "Also, when Dong-won hyung came up he gave me some good words. He said, 'You don't get scared, throw with confidence, your pitch is good,' and he said it in a positive way, which also gave me strength, so I think I was able to pitch well."
He kept the powerful hitters to fly outs. Ham Deok-ju smiled and said, "I think I was more lucky than I threw well. Rather than trying to produce a result myself, trying to let the batters put the ball in play produced a better result. Rather than saying I threw well, I think it's fortunate."
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