The Doosan Bears hold on for the win in extra innings despite Lee Seung-yup’s ejection. The NC Dinos, on the other hand, have been suffering from extreme ‘constipation’ for the past two to three weeks.
Doosan won the first game of a midweek three-game series against NC in the 2024 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League at Changwon NC Park on Thursday, 4-1 in 10 innings of extra innings. The team escaped the nightmare of a three-game sweep against the LG Twins last weekend. With the escape from the three-game sweep, they are in fourth place with 33 wins, 27 losses and 2 draws.
NC hasn’t been able to break out of its extreme slump, going 5-1-1 in its last 20 matches and 1-9-1 in its last 10. They have lost their last two in a row and are 28-30-1. They were closest to the leaders Kia Tigers until mid-May, but have fallen to sixth place.
Doosan starter Choi Jun-ho pitched five innings of two-hit ball, striking out one and walking two. His fastball reached 147 mph. He followed it up with a slider and a forkball. It’s a simple mix of fastball and slider, but it worked well to keep the NC bats in check.
NC starter Kyle Hart pitched well. He allowed one run (unearned) on five hits in seven innings, striking out nine and walking three. Lowered his season ERA from 3.21 to 2.91. His fastball topped out at 150 mph. Threw all four pitches in roughly equal proportions: changeup, two-seam fastball, and slider. The cutter was just as good.
It was 0-for-6 until the sixth inning. Doosan had a runner on third in the top of the second when leadoff hitter Yang Seok-hwan reached on a throwing error by NC center fielder Choi Jung-won, but Hart struck out Kang Seung-ho and Lee Yoo-chan. Doosan had runners on first and second in the top of the third, but Henry Ramos grounded out to the third baseman to end the threat.
In the bottom of the fifth, Kim Joo-won led off with a walk and stole second base. However, Park Min-woo struck out to end the threat. Doosan also had runners on second and third with two outs in the top of the sixth inning, but Kang Seung-ho struck out. NC also had runners on second and third with no outs in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Doosan finally scored the game-winning run in the seventh inning. One out later, Lee Yoo-chan pulled Hart’s slider for a double down the 토토사이트 left-field line, showing off his quick feet. Cho tried to steal third base in the pinch-hit at-bat. NC catcher Kim Hyung-joon’s throw to third sailed off the side of third baseman Seo Ho-cheol’s glove, allowing Lee to steal home.
NC had a chance in the bottom of the seventh, but couldn’t get over the hump again. Back-to-back singles by Kim Sung-wook and Kim Hyung-joon, a sacrifice bunt to third base by Kim Joo-won, and a walk to pinch-hitter Kwon Hee-dong loaded the bases. Park Gun-woo grounded out to shortstop against Kim Kang-ryul.
Doosan also missed a chance to put runners on first and second in the top of the eighth. Then, NC had runners on second and third in the bottom of the eighth. Doosan brought up Hong Gun-hee, who struck out Park Se-hyuk on a wild pitch. Then, in the top of the ninth, Lee Yoo-chan drew a walk and failed to steal second base. The initial call was safe, but NC requested a video review and overturned the call.
At this point, Doosan manager Lee Seung-yeop appealed to umpire Jeon Il-soo for a while before being ejected. When Lee Yoo-chan stole second base, NC claimed that Kim Joo-won intentionally prevented Lee from stealing second base with his knee, but umpire Jeon Il-soo did not accept the claim.
NC fought back in the bottom of the ninth inning. Kim Hui-jip came to the plate as the leadoff batter. He drew a walk. Following Park Min-woo’s sacrifice bunt to the 토토사이트 순위 first baseman, Kwon Hee-dong singled to left. With runners on first and third, Park Gun-woo singled up the middle to tie the game. The next at-bat for Davidson resulted in a wild pitch. Davidson was hit by a pitch. With one out, Han Suk-hyun grounded out to shortstop. Seo Ho-cheol grounded out to shortstop.
Doosan broke the game open in the top of the 10th inning. After a walk, Yang Ji-ji singled to center and Yang Seok-hwan singled to left to put runners on first and third. Kim Jae-ho lined a single to third base. NC third baseman Seo Ho-cheol leaped to catch the ball, but he was unable to catch Kim Jae-ho at first base. Kim Ki-yeon singled to left-center field and Jeon Min-jae singled to center field.
After Choi Joon-ho went down, Doosan pitched Choi Ji-kang, Kim Taek-yeon, Lee Byung-heon, Kim Kang-ryul, Hong Gun-hee, and Lee Young-ha. Hong earned the save. Lee Young-ha earned the save. With the bases loaded, NC brought in set-up man Kim Jae-yeol and closer Lee Yong-chan. Ryu Jin-wook took the loss.