Chapter 589 – Episode 581. Coronation. (1)

“Let’s win and go to Seoul. It’s unfortunate that we couldn’t win at home, but I don’t think anyone would want to lose if they wanted to win at home. Right?”

“That’s right!”

“Okay, then let’s go back and finish with a clean 4-0 score. Invincible!”

“AT!”

Before Game 4 started, the coach said that the team was one game away from winning, so he didn’t speak at length or anything. The coach’s words told me that this game was no different from usual.

And the other players didn’t seem particularly nervous or anything like that, even though they were one game away from winning. That’s because most of the members had already won two championships last year and the year before.

Of course, I wasn’t particularly nervous or anything like that. I’m just curious about what the volcano’s strategy is today. I was curious whether Moon Ki-taek, who lost despite using a strategy of filtering me out in yesterday’s game, was going to play petty by filtering me out in this game, which may be his last.

The game started as usual, with a bit of curiosity.

“Ball.”

The first pitch thrown by Oz, the starting pitcher of the Volcanoes, was a 153 km/h fastball that hit outside the strike zone.

‘Hmm… It’s hard to know at this level.’

It seemed like an automatic intentional walk to the leadoff hitter in the top of the first inning, so it could have been a plan to just throw the ball to the outside and give him a walk, so I thought I would have to look at the second ball to make a decision.

“Strike!”

And the second ball is a splitter that falls down the zone. Since he was a pitcher with poor pitch control, there was a possibility of a strike accidentally, but there was only one reason to throw a breaking ball on the second pitch.

‘Does this mean we will win? If you’re going to skip it, there’s no reason to throw a curveball. Well, it’s the last game, so it won’t turn out ugly.’

Do you think you want to do your best in what could be your last game? Anyway, the important thing was to win the game, so I quickly reviewed the types of pitches he could throw.

‘Then the pitch he was throwing was a slider or a splitter curve… If this is the case, is the crystal ball supposed to be slim? Well, that kid also has good slider velocity. Mr. Rossby?’

‘The next ball…, It’s a fastball.’

His third pitch was a fastball. Since it was a fastball thrown after a splitter, there was a chance it would come high, but since Oz is not that good at controlling it, there was a chance it would come in the middle of the zone.

And the third ball thrown. At the moment of throwing, the ball came slightly lower than expected, so I swung the bat without hesitation,

Perfect!

The bat made a very unpleasant sound.

A ball that hits low to the body can be said to be the best ball a pitcher can throw… The batted ball went high, but it was in a position where the left fielder could easily follow it.

‘Wow, fuck. ‘A ball like this lands here?’

“Out.”

I ran toward first base while swearing, but the result was an out.

“Meng Hao, how are you?”

“I don’t know if it’s bulging or what, but it’s stuck low on the body. But I feel like I have some luck today…”

“What about splitters?”

“It was also stuck in the zone, but… Oh, I’m not sure.”

“I knew it first.”

On the way back to the dugout at third base, I had a short conversation with Sangju senior, who was coming to bat from the waiting box, but unfortunately, there wasn’t much I could tell him.

“Strike! Out!”

And Sangju senior gets out after striking out on 5 pitches, and the out count is already up by two. Other hitters, including me, approached senior Sangju, who checked various pitches, and started asking about Oz’s condition today.

“Sir, how was it?”

“I think today is the day that bastard gets scratched?”

“Sweet, it’s a little dangerous if that bastard gets scratched…”

Sangju senior’s answer that it was a scratchy day…

“Out!”

Just like the answer, Williams, who played as the third hitter, also retired with a hit, ending our offense in the top of the first inning.

A scratch day that comes to pitchers only about 4 or 5 times a year. That day came to Oz today, Game 4 of the Korean Series.

To be honest, I wasn’t really worried. If I had 4 chances, I was confident I would hit one or two of them over the fence. However, other hitters were a different story. Oz is a pitcher who throws a fastball in the mid-150s. He didn’t have good ball control, so he was the type of guy who would break down when he broke down, and on days like this, there was a high chance that other batters would be out without even being able to do anything.

Because it was that kind of day when a fastball pitcher got scratched.

‘Ha, if you do this, I guess I’ll have to do it again.’

Well, this wasn’t bad either. In the end, it was up to me to solve it.

“Junhyung hyung! Please block it with 1~2 points. “I will make you a winning pitcher today as well.”

“… Uh, I’ll try.”

The key now is to block Hwasan’s batting line with as few scores as possible.

Perfect!

“Ah…”

“Base on balls!”

“Junhyung! Throw with ease! Comfortably!”

However, unlike Oz, which was a scratch day, our starting pitcher Park Jun-hyung’s condition did not seem to be that good. He gave up a hit to No. 1 hitter Kim Joo-yeop and a walk to No. 2 hitter Lee Won-hyung, and the situation quickly became 1st and 2nd base without an out.

‘Fuck, I should have slapped you once before I came in!’

Now the batter is Choi Si-woo, the second-highest hitter in home runs this season. Park Jun-hyung’s ball loses its direction and begins to dance around. And the dugout gets busy.

“Base on balls!”

The result of the ball flying around was a walk once again. Hyeonseong feels strange and visits the mound. Since I couldn’t be left out of something like this, I also walked to the mound.

“Senior, are you okay? “Isn’t it painful somewhere?”

“… That’s not the case, I’m sorry. “I guess I was a little nervous.”

“No, bro. “How many Korean series are you watching now? Are you nervous?”

“Meng Hao…”

“How can I at least give you a slap in the face for the first time in a long time?”

“No, that’s a bit…” .”

I told him of special measures for the nervous Park Jun-hyung, but Park waved his hands.

“No. Let’s go.”

“Yes?”

However, senior Jincheol, who followed me to the mound, seemed to have a slightly different opinion. Park Jun-hyung made a dumbfounded noise at Jin-cheol’s firm tone.

“Junhyung, you will come to your senses after getting slapped in the face. Meng Hao, please.”

‘As expected, Jincheol senior. If you look closely at the players, it looks like they are eating the captain raw.’

“No…”

“Right? Brother, you get nervous easily. “I will release you.”

He quickly takes off his gloves and approaches Park Jun-hyung. Park Jun-hyung took a step back, but was soon blocked by Su-ho, who was standing behind him.

“Brother! Let’s come to our senses!”

Mate!

“Evil!”

The sensation of hitting a ball in both hands. A clear red mark appears on Park Jun-hyung’s cheek.

“Let’s come to our senses and go!”

“Yes, Junhyung, we are behind you, so trust and throw. If you block it with a double play, you can block it with 1 point. The hyungs will give you about 1 point, no, 10 points today, so come to your senses and let’s go. Okay?”

Fortunately, perhaps thanks to a slap on the cheek, the gun started to return to Park Jun-hyung’s eyes.

“Ugh, yes. Yes.”

… Looking at the way he speaks, it doesn’t seem like it.

“Brother, you don’t need to get hit one more time to come to your senses, right?”

“No, no, it’s okay, it’s okay. I’m relaxed. Let’s stop and go!”

Fortunately, his good spirit can be seen in his tone of voice before touching the male cub’s body once more.

‘… The problem is that the batter is a user.’

I can’t guarantee a match between Park Jun-hyung and Lee Yong-gi, who are in full condition, and even though they say they brought him to his senses by slapping him in the face as usual, it’s a match between Park Jun-hyung and Lee Yong-gi, who are in a dazed state… Honestly, it didn’t seem easy.

However, there was nothing more I could do, so I returned to my place,

“Play ball.”

The game resumed with the referee’s call.

The defensive position sent from the bench was a normal defense that would catch a double play even if it meant giving one point if an infield ground ball was hit, and the sign Hyunseong sent was an outside ball.

“Ball.”

Park Jun-hyung starts with the ball again this time. However, unlike the previous ball, which was outrageously deviant, it was an outside ball with a clear purpose.

‘As expected, if you get hit, you’ll come to your senses.’

Is it worthwhile to slap a man’s cheek despite the discomfort of having his hand touch it?

“Strike!”

He must have completely come to his senses, but the second ball he threw to Lee Yong-gi was a strike that hit his body. When he saw the strike, a slight change occurred in Lee Yong-gi’s expression. Unlike just a moment ago when I decided to watch because the pitcher was shaking, does it feel like they are planning to attack aggressively from now on?

‘Whoa, let’s focus.’

Since the real game started now, I sighed, brushed away all my thoughts, and started focusing on the game between the pitcher and the batter.

Perfect!

The third ball is a foul that curves toward third base. The ball count quickly became one ball, two strikes.

‘Body slider here?’

In that situation, the ball combination sent from the bench was a body slider. Since it was closer to the body, there was a higher chance of a pull, so we moved our defensive position slightly to the left. And then Park Jun-hyung’s slider.

‘… ‘Huh?’

Park Jun-hyung’s slider went to the outside, contrary to the sign,

Perfect!

Lee Yong-gi tapped the ball with a technical strike.

‘Fuck… !’

A batted ball heading to the right side of the infield! It was a long way, but fortunately the speed of the batting ball wasn’t that fast, so I ran towards it with all my might. Feeling like I could catch it if I threw my body forward, I gave strength to my last step and flew up toward the batted ball, which bounced on the floor and rose slightly.

‘Please, get caught!’

… And along with the heavy sensation felt in the gloved left hand, pain rises from the body hitting the floor. But there was no time to be in pain.

‘First base!’

Mr. Rossby, who had already assessed the situation, was shouting for me to throw the ball to first base, and without having time to look at other situations, I stood up with all my strength and threw the ball toward first base as Mr. Rossby said.

However, because it was an urgent situation, the throw posture was broken, and the ball ended up floating slightly high. Senior Jincheol also checks the direction of the throw and raises his arms high while standing on tiptoe at the base. The ball flies as if in slow motion and Lee Yong-gi stretches his foot toward first base…

“… Out!”

“Wow, fuck, I almost got screwed.”

Fortunately, the first base umpire’s out call was heard.

“Nice play! Meng Hao, it was good!”

“Thank you for catching me!”

Jincheol gave a thumbs up and Junhyung Park took off his hat and expressed his gratitude to me.

“Brother, I told you to just trust me and throw. “I’ll catch them all!”

“Thank you, Meng Hao!”

Lee Yong-gi’s dangerous at-bat has passed, and now the situation is one out, second and third bases. McD, the 5th batter, fills 1st base with an automatic intentional throw, creating the bases loaded with 1 out.

Perfect!

And then the sixth batter, Joong-il Yoon, hits the first pitch. Yoon Joong-il’s batted ball, which did not time properly, becomes a ground ball and goes into the pitcher’s glove.

“Out!”

At home,

“Out!”

And an outcall from first base. In this way, the crisis of bases loaded with no outs ended with a ground ball to second base and a home double play, resulting in one run being conceded.

“Junhyung hyung! Nice!”

“Meng Hao, thank you for your defense. Thanks…”

“They say it will make you a winning pitcher today. Let’s just keep going like now. Just like now.”

“… Okay. Please.”

We are trailing 1:0. But…,

‘Okay, these bastards are out. Now. I’ll let you rest quickly after losing today.’

… I still had three at-bats left.