Chapter 442 – Episode 434. Stepping Towards a New Record. (3)

‘Poisonous guy, will he appear in episode 10?’

Wonho comes on the mound in the 10th inning. It wasn’t that I didn’t understand. Because what was on Wonho’s shoulders now was not just the team’s first win. What was on Wonho’s shoulders was Korea’s first record, a ‘perfect game’.

Perfect game. Although it is a record that has been recorded a few times in the major leagues, it has never been recorded in Korea, and is like pure white snow that no one has been able to set before. Even though it was unofficial, it was a really great record to be able to pitch perfectly until the 9th inning.

That’s why I felt a little sad. You meet me on the day of the best game of your life.

‘Sorry. Wonho.’

And I felt a little sorry that I was the one who would break that record.

If Wonho had achieved this kind of record in another game, I would have congratulated him. Because having a good friend is a good thing. However, becoming the victim of such a record was a slightly different story.

That’s why we gritted our teeth and blocked the ball on defense earlier. If that ball had been missed, my colleagues and I would have been among the victims of that record.

That couldn’t be possible. I don’t want the stain of allowing a pitcher to be perfect on my career. In fact, it was almost like it was allowed when the 9th inning was allowed… Still, if Wonho had only pitched until the 9th inning, I thought I wouldn’t be able to sleep because of this memory, but Wonho came up in the 10th inning as well.

This is an opportunity. It was an opportunity given to me by a friend. An opportunity not to be missed. The way to wash away the humiliation so far is to take a blow.

My condition wasn’t that bad either. Because I sent the ball close to the fence in my last at-bat. However, the ball that I thought was a four-seamer was a two-seamer and did not go over the fence, but this time it was different. It’s already my 4th time at bat. Because Wonho’s skills were slowly becoming familiar to the eyes.

“Ball.”

Moreover, the splitter just thrown can now be completely distinguished. Usually, I couldn’t even see the pitcher’s grip, but seeing what I could see today, it seemed like I was in good condition.

‘After…’

I take a deep breath and wait for Wonho’s ball again. Splitter again… !

“Strike!”

“Under…”

I sigh. 4 times? 5 times? The referee’s strike zone, which had expanded from that point on, had no intention of narrowing. Fortunately, our defense was wide, and we were able to keep the team scoreless, but I couldn’t help but be dissatisfied with it.

Normally, I would have said something to the referee, but I held back because I didn’t want to get the stigma of blocking my friend’s great record by saying something to the referee. If on a day when Wonho or other kids make fun of me…

‘… That can’t be possible.’

It was better to die than to suffer such humiliation. Thinking about that makes me feel a little goosebump running down my back… Quickly erase those thoughts and focus on pitching again. Wonho’s face, sweating like rain, comes into view.

Wonho’s eyes seemed to be enjoying the game against me, forgetting about the record.

‘I don’t like it.’

I wonder if I want to trample on those shining eyes… ? In order to do that, a large room was needed.

The pitching pattern for this at-bat is two splitters in a row. In that case, it wasn’t about throwing a splitter as a crystal ball. It’s the beginning of the 10th inning, and although the number of balls has not yet reached 100, the grip strength is slowly loosening. In such a situation, I could feel the battery’s intention not to use a splitter that could cause loss of pitch as a deciding ball.

‘I would hate giving a walk more than dying…’

There is only one ball that I can distinguish. Splitter. If you hit a two-seam while aiming for a four-seamer, or if you hit a two-seam or hit a four-seam, there was a high chance of a hit, so aiming for a splitter had a higher chance of hitting a home run.

‘Then let’s aim for the splitter before the count goes against us.’

After clearly determining the stance for the at-bat, wait for Wonho’s next ball.

“Ball.”

Wonho’s third ball was a four-seam that went to the outside. I stayed still because I felt like the ball was showing the trajectory of the ball as it left my hand, but it was also a ball that went outward. Now the count is two balls, one strike. The perfect time to aim.

And the fourth ball, the moment I threw it, looked like a splitter, so I put strength into my hand holding the bat. And as usual, … Swing!

Ta – Aak!

‘It’s done!’

-Waaaaa!!!!!

Everyone’s eyes are on the batting ball. I just raised the hand holding the bat.

-Ahh…

But soon the cheers turn into sighs. This was because the batted ball, which was flying toward the left fence, curved further to the left and missed the pole. Fuck, I can’t get over this…

“Ah…, You’re lucky.”

“Be gentle. Be gentle. “Aren’t you two friends?”

“Does my friend feed me?”

“A heartless bastard.”

Seeing the catcher, who had been silent until now, start talking to me seemed to put a chill on my stomach.

‘Hehe, shall I help you?’

Rossby, who was watching my at-bats as if he was tired of watching the cheerleaders, spoke up.

‘It’s okay.’

But I flatly refused. Because I had a strong feeling that I could hit it.

Now those guys can’t throw splitters. Even after seeing that hit, if I threw the splitter into the zone, I was going to accept defeat. So now the splitter is a dead ball. All that remains are four-seamers and two-seamers.

The speed of the four-seamer we saw earlier was 147 km/h. He had enough to see and was able to get the timing right. When he throws a two-seamer, the difference in velocity is at most 3 to 4 km/h. The difference in velocity was enough to break Wonho’s perfection.

‘Now, come.’

And Wonho’s ball is thrown. The guy’s ball was pointing towards his body.

‘This is it!’

And when he tries to swing the bat, Wonho’s ball bends downward.

‘Oh… ?!’

It’s a slider! I immediately released my right hand on the guy’s slider and slowed down the timing of the hit by slowing down the bat.

Perfect!

‘Fuck!’

I hit it at the center of the bat, but the timing was too late as I had to slow down the bat in the middle. I ran toward first base, praying that the fielder wouldn’t catch me. The batted ball gradually slows down and falls…

-Wow!!!

“Huh?!”

*

[Kim Won-ho threw the fifth ball against Ji Maeng-ho! You hit it! And this batted ball! Right! Right! Behind right field! I’m following! Job… ! A position that cannot be maintained! This batted ball goes over the fence! Balance of 0! And a home run that breaks the perfect score! This batter is Ji Maeng-ho!]

[Ah… The record is broken like this. As a baseball person, I feel sad…]

[Ji Maeng-ho’s powerful shot blocks the record! Let’s watch again.]

[Wow, what is this swing now? Even this hitting skill… You just perfectly timed your slider as you released your right hand, right? It was a slider to the body, but he pushed the ball over the right fence. Wow, that’s really great power and great hitting skills. Although the exit speed and angle were not ideal, it was a great home run.]

In general, the basic method of hitting was to pull the ball toward the body and push the ball outside the body. Extreme home run hitters were able to pull the ball to the outside to create a home run, while straight hitters slowed down their timing as much as possible, concentrated on contact, and pushed the ball to the inside to make a hit.

However, it was not easy to hit a home run by pushing the ball toward the body. No, it was safe to say that it was difficult to watch even a few times in one season. Even in the major leagues.

The only batter who can make such a hit is Stanton, who boasts the best power in the major league. Such a batted ball came from Ji Maeng-ho’s hand at this very moment.

-Wow… Kim Won-ho’s perfect is broken

┗But didn’t the fierce defender lose a home run? How do you get through it like that?

-ㄲㅂ Still, I don’t think it’s unfair that it was broken by a home run

-ㅇㅅㅁㅎㅅ

┗ㅇㅅㅁㅎㅅ

┗If you are not feeling well, your head will suffer.

┗What is the power of Fierce Protector? Haha, even if I get hit like that, I get over it.

-Ah, tanton shoes… Are you watching? Your successor is here now.

┗He’s not dead yet, Wakguknoya.

┗The heart of New York still lives with New Yorkers!

-So now you’re 55? It’s really better than Joo Hyung-jin haha

-Wow… But it’s a bit disappointing. I thought it looked perfect.

-If Ji Maeng-ho is excited because he blocked his friend’s path, ㅊ!

┗ㄱㅊ!

┗ㄱㅊ!

┗LOL Look at that bastard laughing while circling the base LOL

Therefore, fans who were watching the game in anticipation of Korea’s first record were able to ease their disappointment of failing to achieve that record.

[Ah, Won-ho Kim is coming down from the mound. The final record was 9 innings and 1 run. But he showed great pitching, recording an unofficial perfect game. Kim Won-ho comes down from the mound receiving cheers and a standing ovation from the audience. AT Thunders fans also stand up and applaud Kim Won-ho for his great pitching.]

[It’s a great scene. This is the beauty of sports. … Hmm. However, personally, I feel a little disappointed. If the batters had helped a little more, we could have seen the birth of a great record… Still, I applaud Kim Won-ho, who showed great pitching.]

[The score is now 1:0. AT Thunders take the lead. … Su-ho Kim succeeds in getting on base by attacking the first pitch of the changed pitcher. 1st base with no outs.]

And was it because the starting pitcher, who was about to achieve a record, came off the mound? Silla’s bullpens began to shake.

[AT Thunders add 1 more point with Choi Jin-cheol’s hit! The score is now 2:0.]

Choi Jin-cheol’s timely hit added the score to 2:0 at the end of the 10th inning. AT Thunders also gave up 1 point in the bottom of the 10th inning, but Kim Won-ho’s perfect game challenge ended in Silla’s defeat.

-Ji Maeng-ho hits 55 home runs! There are only 7 steps left to reach the new record!

… Meanwhile, it was Ji Maeng-ho’s at-bat in the top of the 10th inning that Kim Won-ho, who had been pitching perfect, collapsed. Ji Maeng-ho hit Won-ho Kim’s slider inside and recorded his 55th home run, ending Kim Won-ho’s perfect challenge. …

… There are 15 games left for Ji Maeng-ho. There are only 7 home runs remaining. Attention is focused on whether Ji Maeng-ho can surpass Joo Hyung-jin’s 61 home runs and rewrite the history of Korean baseball.