Chapter 259 – Chapter 257. Last Game of the Season (4)

Ta-evil!

The hit ball, which felt the touch, flew toward the left pole, drawing a beautiful parabola.

‘Does it pass?’

A ball that is difficult to see with the naked eye. I checked the position of the ball until the end, but the ball hurriedly passed the pole and bent.

Then, the third base referee declared a foul.

“Ah! Cabi!”

“Haha! It’s nothing.”

“Really?”

Were you a little faster?

“Does this make your head complicated? Can’t figure out whether to throw a fastball or a breaking ball~? Do you want to run outside?”

It was unfortunate that I couldn’t hit a home run, but I couldn’t breathe. Because I had to trouble the catcher as much as possible and easily solve the rest of the game.

“… Why are you saying honorifics all of a sudden?”

Even when I think about it, the catcher’s voice trembles at the angry tone.

“Why? No? If you don’t like it, don’t.”

“This respectable bastard, until the very end…”

‘It’s a slider.’

‘Oh, one more slider here?’

After seeing the batted ball earlier, he wouldn’t throw it toward his body again. If so, it’s most likely an outside slider… Although I was anxious because I had accumulated one strike with Paul, I decided to gamble. Even if I swing wrong anyway, I still have room for one strike.

Finish preparing to push and wait for Austin’s pitching action.

‘Come, it’s ten.’

And Austin’s ball leaves my hand and comes flying to me, the feeling of seeing the ball spinning. His slider gradually moved away from me, and I stretched out my arm to hit the bat in line with it.

Ta-evil!

Unlike the previous ball, it is a ball that flies slowly while drawing a high parabola. The ball was flying through Jamsil’s outfield while maintaining a high trajectory.

“Light! Light!”

The fielders’ signature calls were heard here and there, and Choi Jae-hyeon, the right fielder, followed the ball and soon stopped. Even when Choi Jae-hyeon reached the fence, the ball was gliding through the sky in Jamsil.

– Ji Maeng-ho! Ji Maeng-ho! Ji Maeng-ho!

-Waaaaa!!

“Ah, another slider? You didn’t see me as an asshole. What if I threw the same ball twice in a row? Tell the battery coach to change the sign. Okay? It’s too boring like this.”

“…”

He takes off his catcher’s mask and throws a word to the catcher, who is looking at the right wall where the batted ball flew with his mouth open and a dumb face, and heads to first base.

“Nice. It’s a tie, so let’s go back next time.”

“Please leave it to me.”

After exchanging high-fives and greetings with the first base coach, the referee opens his mouth as he slowly enters the home while watching the enthusiastic spectators.

“Let’s go around quickly.”

It was a little annoying, but I deliberately turned late to scratch the pitcher, and the referee seemed to notice it because he had time.

“Oh, sorry.”

I quickly hand over my apology because there is a chance that the next at-bat will be the same as the judgment.

“Hey… How do you push through Jamsil?”

“Seniors do some exercise too. Shall I tell you the routine?”

“… Done. Come on, Bat.”

When I went into the dugout after receiving the bat from Baek Jeong-jin, who had been on base as the lead hitter, the team members greeted me warmly again.

“Tongue… !”

And Lim Joon-hoo, who is trying to be hugged. I pushed him away and took a Pocari handed to me by someone and drank it.

‘As expected, Pocari drinking after hitting a home run is the best.’

Right!

And even the striking sound that makes the Pocari more delicious.

“Nice Kim Soo-ho!”

“It was good! Let’s go reverse!”

Even in the dugout, Austin’s expression was hardened. He didn’t get a single out count and allowed three consecutive batters on base. And even a home run for me.

‘Looks good. Who wants to compete arrogantly?’

“Good! Shake, shake!”

“Hit a weatherman!”

The most difficult innings for a starting pitcher are the 1st and 5th innings. Among them, the 5th inning is the third time most batters face the starting pitcher’s ball, so batters get used to the pitcher’s ball.

Right!

And the hitters behind me are veterans who can get used to the pitcher’s pitch. The hit ball of the meteorological spirit clearly cut through the middle right. Kim Su-ho, who was on first base, went all the way to third base, and batter runner Ki Sang-joo went all the way to second base.

-Choi Jincheol! Jincheol Choi! Jincheol Choi!

I can hear the full crowd chanting Choi Jin-cheol’s name. That loud voice expecting a reversal. After a tenacious fight that went all the way to a full count, Choi Jin-cheol hit the ball into the deepest part of Jamsil Stadium. UG’s center fielder stood at the end of the warning track and caught Choi Jin-cheol’s batted ball, but it was not enough to catch third base runner Kim Su-ho, and even Ki Sang-joo, who was second base runner, succeeded in stepping on third base.

“Done! It’s a turnaround!”

“Senior Jincheol! Nice!”

“What a waste! If it wasn’t for Jamsil, I would have passed everything!”

After knocking on the helmet of Choi Jin-cheol, who created a come-from-behind hit, I turned my eyes back to the stadium and saw Woo Kwan-hyung carefully picking out the ball.

Right!

And a technical push to guide the weatherman home. In the end, Austin went down the mound without getting past the fifth inning.

‘Tsk, it’s easy to deal with that guy, but it’s a pity that he changed. If so, from the next at-bat, will it be outside again?’

I was a little disappointed that Austin Webb, the pitcher I was fighting with, had gone off the mound, but I was relieved because it meant that the team’s chances of winning increased as the starting pitcher went down the mound.

6:4. It wasn’t a score difference that I could be relieved of, but I was a little relieved because I thought that it wouldn’t be a job to spread more points if I looked at the condition of the hitters today.

“Is Sanghyun ready?”

“Yes. We have been preparing since the beginning of the fifth inning.”

“From episode 6 onwards, I will go with Sanghyun.”

“All right.”

‘Pilseungjo operation from episode 6? Well, is it okay because it’s Sunday? Okay, let’s catch some today.’

*

“…”

“…”

After the end of the 5th inning, which was like a nightmare for UG fans, the atmosphere in the UG Overlords dugout was cold. One second feels like one minute, probably because of the long cleaning time between innings.

“Seungjun.”

Then, breaking the silence, I heard director Moon Ki-taek’s low voice.

“Yes, Director.”

Park Seung-jun, the catcher who answers with a crawling voice after giving up big innings. In fact, a veteran catcher would have been able to cut off the flow of excited Austin Webb, but Park Seung-jun’s head was filled with the words Ji Maeng-ho said, so he was in a hurry to take care of himself.

“The last batter didn’t follow his sign, why is that?”

“Sorry. Director.”

The director’s reprimand, but Park Seung-jun also had something to say.

“I think the coach’s autographs are all read.”

“There’s no way our autographs will be exposed?”

Hearing that his signature could be read, Ki-taek Moon had his poker face broken during the rare game. The place where Moon Ki-taek trained as a coach is Japan, where he conducts detailed analysis to steal the opposing team’s autographs. As Moon Ki-taek was very aware of the fact that one exposed sign led the team to defeat, he tended to change the key sign every inning when it was bad.

But the sign was exposed… Seeing director Mun Ki-taek, whose face was about to turn red, Park Seung-jun waved his hand.

“No, the sign wasn’t exposed, it wasn’t…”

And Park Seung-joon looked around his head to find the location of the battery coach. Confirming that the battery coach was far away, he opened his mouth in a low voice.

“I, well, I think the coach’s autograph was read perfectly. Ji Maeng-ho said that. It’s obvious.”

“… Okay?”

“Yes. So, today I want to make a ball combination, is that okay?”

As a human being, everyone wants to be recognized for their worth. Park Seung-jun also wanted to take this opportunity to be recognized for his ball mixing skills. So that the salary given by the club is not a waste.

“Yes, Coach Choi must be in bad shape today. Take care of the remaining innings.”

“Thank you. Director!”

The phrase “For the remaining innings” Means that he will fully take responsibility for today’s game. This was a great opportunity for Park Seung-joon, who wanted to show his value in the game.

“I will do my best!”

“Okay.”

After Park Seung-joon left, Moon Ki-taek fell into deep thought again.

‘Tsk, today’s game was bad. As expected, since Ji Maeng-ho exploded, AT’s other ships started to explode. Is this the first big inning in the series? As expected, it was right to block Ji Maeng-ho. Webb, that guy must have learned something from today’s match. This is better than showing vain pride at fall baseball. Besides, with today’s game, Austin’s ERA has come down to 2nd, so he won’t be sick for the rest of his schedule.’

Director Moon Ki-taek, who quickly drew up a loss statement in his head, came to a conclusion.

‘I gave it one game, but it’s not a loss when you think about the big picture anyway. I guess I can save the pitcher for today’s game.’

Under coach Moon Ki-taek’s judgment, the UG’s bullpen began to operate from the 6th inning. It is not a winning team, but it is a resource that can be a winning team if you go to a club with a weak bullpen. And at the end of the 6th inning, Ji Maeng-ho came to bat again.

[With one out, runner on first base, Ji Maeng-ho enters the plate. Ji Maeng-ho, you are recording 59 home runs with 2 home runs today?]

[One to the left, one to the right. Ji Maeng-ho looks very good. Seunggi Choi should be careful! I hit again!]

[Ji Maeng-ho hitting the first ball! This ball… !]

As soon as Ji Maeng-ho stepped into the plate, the ball he hit started to fly like a laser toward the billboard.

Tung-!

-Wow!

The sound of the ball hitting the electronic signboard and falling was overshadowed by the enthusiastic cheers of the crowd.

– Ji Maeng-ho! Ji Maeng-ho!

[Ji Maeng-ho hits his 60th home run of the season! I leave only one step in Hyungjin Joo’s record!]

“… I paid this time…”

“What? Did you sign it? Just leave it to the battery coach. It’s easier than before.”

After destroying the mentality of a catcher, Ji Maeng-ho leisurely headed to first base.