Chapter 516 – Episode 508. One Shot When It Matters. (1)

[The third game that determines the direction of the series. It starts with the AT Thunders attack. We will call out the AT Thunders lineup in the top of the first inning. It consists of No. 1 hitter Jeong Hwi-cheol, No. 2 hitter Kim Su-ho, No. 3 hitter Ki Ki-joo, No. 4 hitter Choi Jin-cheol, No. 5 hitter Williams, No. 6 hitter Yoon Seong-tae, No. 7 hitter Baek Jeong-jin, No. 8 hitter Kim Hyun-seong, and No. 9 hitter Kim Jong-hoon.

[Is Ji Maeng-ho the aftermath of yesterday’s sand dune? Coach Lee Soo-hyun said before the game that he felt discomfort in his left shoulder. It is said that he will be on standby as a pinch hitter today.]

[The reason why Ji Maeng-ho, the league’s best hitter, does not appear in such an important game is because the gap is widening, right?]

[You’re right. The season is long, and there is already a gap of more than 7 games, so the judgment is that there is no need to push yourself too hard. However, if an important situation arises, Ji Maeng-ho can step in as a pinch hitter at any time.]

[Now, let me explain the defensive position of the Hwasan Falcons. Chae Jae-hyeon will be the starting pitcher, and Yong-gi Lee will be the catcher’s mask. Now in the infield, Choi Si-woo starts from first base…]

A match between the 1st place team and the 2nd place team, who had 1 win and 1 loss. It was a game that seemed like it would be full of tension, but the fans didn’t see it that way. The reason is the matchup of the starting pitcher that collapsed.

In the face-off between AT’s 5th starter Lim Jun-hoo and Hwasan’s 3rd starter Chae Jae-hyeon, the weight was bound to be focused on Chae Jae-hyun.

-But isn’t the flower snake doing well these days? It’s already 5 wins?

┗Is that because the batting lineup has exploded? The ERA is in the low 5-point range as a pitching hitter?

┗┗He knows how to win, so what is this?

However, a few fans had expectations that Lim Jun-hoo might win. Lim Jun-hoo’s performance was 5 wins, 2 losses, and an average ERA of 5.27 in 10 games, which was because he was a pitcher with strangely good luck compared to the points he gave up. Moreover, in the games in which Lim Jun-hoo appeared, the team’s win rate was 70%, with 7 wins and 3 losses, so it was not unreasonable for AT fans to think that Lim Jun-hoo would play an active role this time as well.

However,

[The Hwasan Falcons score 2 runs in the bottom of the first inning thanks to Choi Si-woo’s two-run home run!]

-ㅅㅂ Then that’s right, why was the flower snake so goodㅡ

┗That bastard goes to a fucking club with Ji Maeng-ho. Why don’t you stop him?

┗┗I went with the fierce tiger god, so I think I knew he was the fierce tiger god

┗┗This is all Ji Maeng-ho’s fault. That bastard came in and there was no discipline

┗┗Not being able to play fall baseball for 20 years due to lack of discipline VS Not being disciplined and winning 2 consecutive championships?

┗┗I’m blaming the fierce tiger for this haha ​​It seems like I’m in trouble when I see people criticizing the fierce tiger on the other side of the gallery.

AT was off to an uneasy start as Lim Jun-hoo gave up a point from the bottom of the first inning, following the expected procedure.

[The leadoff hitter is number 5 hitter Williams. … Hitting with two balls and two strikes! Lightly grab the shortstop and go to first base. One out.]

[Chae Jae-hyeon’s change-up was perfect, right? He was already a player whose strength was deception, which completely hides his hands, but since he hides his timing with fastballs and changeups, it seems really difficult for left-handed hitters to get the timing right. Chae Jae-hyun’s changeup has really improved since Seong-hyun came, and this is the importance of a veteran.]

[Yoon Seong-tae’s first pitch hit! This time, second baseman Lee Won-hyung catches it! First base, two outs. … Baek Jeong-jin’s hit goes to the pitcher. Three out. Chae Jae-hyeon catches all three batters with ground balls.]

-Look at how loveless you are, ㅅㅂ

-It’s not like the fucking bastards are giving you fun–

-You can’t come out today at all?

┗No, waiting for a pinch hit

In addition, while Hwasan’s starting pitcher Chae Jae-hyeon faced seven batters, he did not allow AT’s batters to get on base except for one walk, and the game was leaning towards Hwasan as expected. As that trend continued, the game went by quickly,

-ㅅㅂ Let’s fill it up so that the fierce god of defense appears.

AT’s fans were waiting for the one chance for Ji Maeng-ho to appear.

[Two batters walk in a row. Ah, I think this is the end of Lim Jun-hoo. Lim Jun-hoo leaves the mound after allowing 4 runs in 5 innings.]

[Ah, in this case, I wonder if it would have been better to change the pitcher as soon as the 6th inning started. I think I raised it a little more for experience because Lim Jun-hoo is a pitcher that the team cherishes, but in fact, Lim Jun-hoo’s ball wasn’t good today, right?]

[The player who followed Lim Jun-hoo on the mound was Park Jin-hyuk, a sure-to-win teammate. He has appeared in 21 games this season and has a 2.45 earned run average, 3 wins, and 13 holds.]

[Oh, Jinhyuk Park appears here? He’s currently down 4:1, so it’s actually a little strange that he’s in a sure-win bracket, right? What is director Lee Soo-hyun thinking?]

And the feeling of waiting for just one chance for Ji Maeng-ho to come out was the same in AT’s dugout. In general, it was unusual to have a sure-win situation when trailing by 3 points. Moreover, Park Jin-hyuk is now a sure-to-win pitcher, but he was the closing pitcher who guarded AT’s back door until two years ago.

Although he was in a slump due to the pressure of being responsible for the team’s ending, being able to finish the season for one club means that the team’s status is sufficient. In addition, Park Jin-hyuk, who spent most of last season in the second team and ate bread soaked in tears, also achieved some mental growth.

Coach Lee Soo-hyun also believed in Park Jin-hyuk, so he used to put Park Jin-hyuk on the mound at high leverage (the most decisive moment in the game).

And in this situation, coach Lee Soo-hyun’s decision to put Park Jin-hyuk on the mound meant that he judged this to be the most important point in the game.

‘It’s dangerous if the score gap widens any further. How can Meng Hao give you about 3 points…’

Naturally, the basis for that judgment was Ji Maeng-ho, who was waiting in the dugout.

Under normal circumstances, it would have been natural for Ji Maeng-ho to be in the starting lineup. No manager on earth could have a healthy Ji Maeng-ho in the dugout. Guaranteing Ji Maeng-ho to get 4 at-bats was like using a cheat key.

However, if he were to appear as a starter, he also had the disadvantage of not being able to be used in situations where the coach was most needed. The batting lineup meant that not all batters could always get on base, and it was probabilistically difficult for Ji Maeng-ho to step into the batter’s box when there were enough runners on base.

Of course, to put it another way, the fact that Ji Meng-ho was waiting in the dugout also meant that he could score a solid score when he needed it most. Using Ji Maeng-ho in a situation where the runners necessary for victory were set was no different from holding a joker card in one’s hand that could turn the game around.

‘If it’s our team’s batting lineup, we can prepare a meal for at least two runners. Plus, Kwan-hyung is waiting as a pinch hitter, so if the gap is within 3 points, it’s worth a try.’

That’s why coach Lee Soo-hyun couldn’t give up the game even when he was losing 4-1. Considering the team’s batting lineup, it was clear that there would be an opportunity to use Ji Maeng-ho at any time. And in that situation, Park Jin-hyuk of Pil Seung-jo took the mound.

‘If it’s Jinhyuk here, does that mean he still deserves to win?’

‘Jinhyuk hyung is here. I guess that means it’s worth doing if you just block it here…’

‘Good. Let’s just prevent this crisis for now.’

That appearance was enough to send a message to the players that the coach had not given up on the game yet and boosted their morale.

[Yeon Sang-hyun’s bunt appears! Hyunseong Kim! Catch it while flying! One out!]

[Usually, in situations like this where one is in the right to score with no outs, the role of the first batter is very important. He should have at least hit an advanced base hit, which is a shame. That would at least change the out count and 1 point… Director Moon Ki-taek doesn’t look very good, does he? Haha, at UG, even if you had asked Koo Jin-mo, the 4th hitter, to bunt, he would have made an amazing bunt. Does he look like he’s missing it now?]

-Who is the commentator today? ㅅㅂ Why are you bringing up the story of someone else’s team?

┗He must have said something like that because he was so frustrated that he couldn’t even bunt on first and second base with no outs. LOL

┗Are you a professional if you can’t even bunt there? ㅅㅂ

┗Wook) Yeon Sang-hyeon seems to be going to the 2nd Army tomorrow. Due to Daldong’s personality, if the operation fails, he will definitely send the 2nd Army LOL

┗┗That’s UG or something like that, and we don’t have anyone to look at on the left except Yeon Sang-hyun.

┗┗Horrifying fact) Before Choi Si-woo exploded, that bastard was watching the main batting line.

┗Ha… The details are lacking.

-Something is strange. When you make a play like this, you get reversed like a ghost.

┗I wasn’t the only one who felt it ㅅㅂ

┗Tsk, it’s such a shame that the basic strategy doesn’t work.

And that atmosphere was fully felt by the passionate fans watching the game. The moment when the flow of the game changes that can be fully felt by fans who watch 3 to 4 hours a day, 6 days a week for 6 to 7 months for at least 1 year to as much as 10 years.

[Jinhyuk Park ends the inning with a double play! AT to escape the crisis! Park Jin-hyuk roars!]

-Fucking fucked up. Am I the only one who finds this atmosphere strange?

-Uh? Isn’t it worth following 3 points? How many pitches does Chae Jae-hyun pitch?

┗It’s in the low 80s now?

┗┗If it’s in the low 80s in the 7th inning, you can get it down soon, right? How many Pilseungjo members are left today?

┗┗It’s Moon Ki-taek, but he’s a coach who orders 3 consecutive fights that are meaningless.

┗┗But I have to get off quickly.

[Yoon Seong-tae’s batted ball! It exceeds the height of a second baseman! Seongtae Yoon’s leadoff hitter gets on base! … Baek Jeong-jin’s batted ball catches the second baseman! 2nd base is late, 1st base, one out. 1 out, 2nd base. Oh, Kim Hyun-seong pulls out a pinch hitter card during his at-bat. Here, AT’s heart, Woo Kwan-hyung, the hero of last year’s Korean Series, comes to the plate.]

[Did director Lee Soo-hyun feel that this was the battleground? Woo Gwan-hyeong has mainly played as a pinch hitter this season, recording 16 hits in 54 at-bats and recording a batting average of .209.6. He mainly plays as a pinch hitter, and maintaining a batting average close to .300 is a truly remarkable record.]

[Ah, we are replacing the pitcher here. The Volcanic Falcons taking Chae Jae-hyeon off the mound.]

[Director Moon Ki-taek is also betting on the game. Chae Jae-hyun, who competes with Deception, is not a good match with the experienced Woo Kwan-hyung. In addition, it seems that he judged that his strength was low after seeing him get hit by Seongtae Yoon. In fact, the speed dropped by 3 to 4 km/h compared to the beginning of the game. Hmm… So, I think they’re probably thinking of bringing up a left-handed fastball pitcher, but there’s one bullpen like that in Hwasan, right?]

[As the committee member expected, Cha Young-Jun is on the mound. Young-Jun Cha has played as a left-handed one-pointer this season, appearing in 40 games, allowing 10 runs in 28.2 innings, recording an ERA of 3.19 and 16 holds. A fastball in the late 140s is an attractive pitcher, right?]

[The control is a bit disappointing, but Coach Moon Ki-taek didn’t put him on the mound expecting pinpoint control, right? It’s okay to fit, so it probably means insert it in the center.]

[… Ah, a walk. Woo Kwan-hyung reaches first base. And he will be replaced by pinch runner Jeong Han-yul.]

[It seems like facing a pinch hitter was a burden for the young pitcher. Woo Kwan-hyung also skillfully made the cut and endured it well.]

[At bat, last year’s rookie Kim Jong-hoon played second base in place of Ji Maeng-ho. Here we replace the pitcher again. Veteran Baek Du-hyung is coming to the mound. Looks like AT doesn’t use pinch hitters?]

[Does Ji Maeng-ho’s situation seem to be worse than expected? I thought if I were to use Ji Maeng-ho, it would be now…]

[As I speak, Kim Jong-hoon hits the first pitch! Target the changed pitcher’s first pitch! A hit that separates the second baseman and shortstop! With one out and bases loaded! … And a pinch hitter comes into the batter’s box. The pinch hitter is Ji Maeng-ho! With the bases loaded and one out, trailing by 3 points, Ji Maeng-ho, who AT fans have been waiting for so long, comes in!]

-Ah, wasn’t that guy not able to hit after being hit on the shoulder?

┗I don’t know, but seeing as he was left out of the selection, isn’t he in good condition? Could it be better than Jeong Hwi-cheol?

Just like that, it’s a situation with bases loaded and one out, where a single home run can turn the game around. Ji Maeng-ho, who AT fans wanted more than anyone else, came to bat.