Chapter 693 – Episode 680. The God of Korean Baseball. (3)

[… Out! … Out! Seonghyun gets two out counts! Ji Maeng-ho is now at bat. Today, Ji Maeng-ho had 2 hits in 2 at-bats. He has one home run and one double.]

[Since this is the third batter he will face, Seonghyeon must be especially careful.]

[Ji Maeng-ho lightly taps! The batted ball passes over the second baseman! A hit in front of right field. Ji Maeng-ho with 3 hits in 3 at-bats! A runner is on base with two outs.]

[A runner is on base with 2 outs, but since Seonghyun looks to be in good condition today, I don’t think there will be any major problems, right?]

[… Safe! Ji Maeng-ho succeeds in stealing second base. … Good weather! Strike out! Seonghyun once again ends the inning with no runs! The score of 2:1 is maintained!]

[What appears to be a slider just now was dropped perfectly low, causing Ki Ki-joo to miss the swing. After all, it is Seonghyeon.]

[Attack by the Volcanic Falcons in the bottom of the 5th inning. We start with the 7th hitter, Kim Hyeong-geon. … Out! … Out! … Out! Bellingham completely silences the lower-order batting lineup! The game now goes to the top of the 6th inning.]

Game 5 of the Korean Series, which had reached the halfway point, continued tightly as expected of a game between the aces of both teams.

And it was the Volcano Falcons who took the upper hand in that tight game. However, that did not mean that the economy was completely tilted toward volcanoes.

The number of balls thrown by Hwasan starting pitcher Seonghyun was 87. Because he started pitching with all his might from the first inning, the limit on the number of pitches was gradually approaching, and in fact, unlike Seonghyun, he faced a crisis when two runners reached base.

Of course, that did not mean that AT had an advantage. AT’s starting pitcher Bellingham was also getting older and had been throwing over 90 pitches, so it was time to replace him.

And the managers of both teams were looking at the starting pitchers who had reached their pitch limit and were considering the timing to replace them with the bullpen.

[In the top of the 6th inning, the AT Thunders attack begins with the 3rd batter, Birch. … Burch gets on base! Burch produces a hit as the leadoff hitter.]

‘Should I change Hyeon?’

And a hit from the leadoff hitter. Moon Ki-taek was momentarily worried as fifth starter Kim Min-jun and setup man Oh Hyo-jun were already warming up in the bullpen. But the worry did not last long.

Perfect!

[Shortstop! On second base! Out! And on first base! Out! Seonghyeon creates a double play with a perfect two-seam! Two out counts in one go! … Walk! Seongtae Yoon gets on base with a walk with two outs! … Strike out! Seonghyun strikes out Kim Sang-min! Completing the quality start!]

Seong-Hyun, who caught two out counts with one ball, walked Seong-Tae Yoon, probably because he was relaxed, but succeeded in ending the inning by striking out Sang-Min Kim.

Now Seonghyun’s pitch count is 100.

Director Moon Ki-taek approached Seonghyeon, who was sweating like rain.

“What is the status?”

“… “You can throw more.”

Even though it seemed like he had already reached his limit, Seonghyun was saying that he would keep throwing the ball. Director Moon Ki-taek felt it instinctively. If you throw more, even for a moment, a catastrophe could occur.

However, Seonghyun’s eyes were so hot. The 40-year-old veteran’s eyes were burning like a rookie who had just debuted, and Moon Ki-taek saw the passion alive in those eyes.

“… Okay. Instead, if even one batter gets on base, then he will be replaced.”

“Don’t worry. “Director.”

That’s why Moon Ki-taek made a choice he had never made before during his career as a director. Moon Ki-taek, who had made only rational decisions during his coaching career, was defeated by the look in the eyes of the ace who represented the team, the league, and the country.

[The game now goes to the bottom of the 6th inning. The new pitcher, Park Jun-hyung, takes the mound.]

On the contrary, coach Lee Soo-hyun made a decision as soon as the game started. Park Jun-hyung was put on the mound in front of Hwasan’s batting lineup, who was now in his third at-bat.

[… Park Jun-hyung puts two runners on base, but ends the inning!]

Manager Lee Soo-hyun’s choice was risky, as it left two runners on base, but it was successful and the top of the 7th inning came.

In the top of the 7th inning, the pitcher who came to Hwasan’s mound was, of course, Seonghyun.

‘Hyuna, please.’

Moon Ki-taek watched and prayed that his choice would not be in vain,

[The leadoff hitter is number 7 hitter Baek Kyung-ho. … Out!]

The first batter is out.

[… Out! … Out! 7 innings, 1 run! Falcons’ ace Seong Hyun! We play 7 innings! Seonghyun records a high-quality start, showing his fighting spirit with 112 pitches!]

And then the next two count outs. Although Seonghyeon struggled with a 3-for-3 hit from Ji Maeng-ho, who is currently the best hitter in the league, he definitely proved why he has been the best pitcher in Korea for nearly 20 years and the best pitcher in Korean history,

[At the bottom of the 7th inning, pitcher Park Jin-hyuk was replaced on the mound. … The inning ends with a clean three-way throw.]

In the blink of an eye, the top of the 8th inning arrived.

[In the top of the 8th inning, on the mound of Hwasan is a new pitcher, Shin Su-ho. In this Korean Series, he appeared in three games, allowing three scoreless innings and recording one save.]

[This is where director Moon Ki-taek made his decision. The idea is to block the batting lineup consisting of Ji Maeng-ho, Ki Ki-joo, Birch, and Kim Su-ho by inserting Shin Su-ho, the best pitching closer in the bullpen, right?]

Game 5 of the Korean Series is heading towards its end. Moon Ki-taek threw his last game.

*

‘I think it was like this last year too, but they also brought up Shin Su-ho at this timing.’

Phut! Phut! Shin Su-ho’s practice pitch makes a tremendous noise and goes into Lee Yong-gi’s mitt. Does it look like you are in good condition just by looking at it? While I was watching Shin Su-ho’s practice pitches and trying to figure out the timing, Mr. Rossby spoke up.

‘If I hit just one more triple, it’s cycling? How can you not be attracted to it?’

‘Is there anyone in the world who hits for a triple?’

To hit a triple, the ball had to be sent to the right side of the stadium, furthest from the third base. And that meant that as a right-handed hitter, I had to push.

Well, the outfield was shifting to the left in preparation for my pull, so there was a high probability of a triple if I sent it to the right outfield, but the pitcher standing in front of me was Shin Su-ho, who is currently said to be the best closing pitcher in Korea.

Shin Su-ho’s performance this season was 60 games, an ERA of 1.86, 3 wins, 2 losses, and 44 saves, making him the league’s best finisher for almost three years, and he was a pitcher who was often talked about going to the majors.

This means that good results cannot be achieved if you deal with someone with a complacent mind that only cares about records. Besides, now that the end is near, I guess I’m not that worried about my record in Korea?

‘Hehe, there are two more games left anyway, so wouldn’t it be okay to lose at least one game?’

‘Please tell me the type of pitch.’

The pitches Shin Su-ho threw were a fastball with an average speed of around 158 and an average velocity in the low to mid 150s, a high-speed slider in the mid to high 140s, a curve, and a changeup. However, Seonghyun’s curveball and changeup did not work for me, so the only pitches he could throw were fastballs or high-speed sliders.

Since both pitches were pitched at the same time, the key to this game depended on the extent of Shin Su-ho’s velocity.

‘It’s a fastball.’

‘Well, I thought so.’

After all, is the first pitch the main weapon, a fastball? First, I decided to wait for Shin Su-ho’s first pitch and watched the first pitch to see how much velocity he had today.

“Ball.”

The first pitch is a high fastball that comes almost at eye level. Restraint…

‘157? ‘I guess I’m in a bad mood today?’

For some reason, it felt like the ball was rising. As seen during practice pitching, Shin Su-ho’s condition today seemed to be quite good.

“Ball.”

And Shin Su-ho’s fastball, thrown once again, hit 156.4 km/h and hit the outside.

Before I knew it, the ball count was two balls. Since it was a 1-run game, it was absolutely impossible to give up a walk, and it was time to come in to catch the count.

“I’m going to filter here and there. “I’m going to run to third base. Are you confident you can catch it?”

“… Let’s shut our mouths.”

“Hey, last time I struck out, I opened my mouth like that.”

“… “You should go to the major level.”

“I’m still going. “Win this game.”

The third pitch that comes after warning Lee Yong-gi that if he gives up a walk, he will be in big trouble.

‘It’s a slider.’

‘Okay.’

Shin Su-ho’s slider was a ball that came in a bit like a cutter, and although it was a ball close to 150 and had a fast velocity, the angle wasn’t that big. Then there is one thing I have to do. Timing slightly later than the fastball I saw earlier, and swinging the bat.

Since it was a ball that had to be in the strike zone, I loaded the bat and waited for Shin Su-ho’s third pitch.

‘… ‘It’s coming!’

And more and more, Shin Su-ho’s slider was thrown. Start from the center of the zone. However, since the ball was bent diagonally, its final destination was a low place outside!

Should I push for a momentary triple? The thought passed by for 0.001 seconds, but the bat swung towards that place like lightning, and I pulled the ball with full power.

Ta – Aak!

And the batted ball flies faster than the bat speed.

‘It’s tingling.’

My hand felt a little tingly as if it hit the sweet spot, but the ball flew just as I expected,

-Wow!!!

After seeing the destination of the batted ball, I raised his hand.

From the best ace in Korean baseball history to the best closer in Korea at the moment.

As expected, Korea was too small for me.

“So it’s a tie now?”

“…”

The score is now 2:2. However, looking at the pitcher’s stiff expression, it seemed like there was no need to worry.

Game 5 of the Korean Series, which could be the team’s last, and the pitcher is shaken because the senior’s winning pitch is lost. Senior Sangju, who still boasts his hitting skills, was not one to miss that opportunity,

Ta – Aak!

Senior Sangju’s batted ball split into right-center, creating a double. After that, it went as usual, scoring 1 point. Pinch runner Kim Jong-hoon was brought in to replace senior Sangju, who is a runner on second base but has slow feet, and pinch hitter Oh Hyun-seok, who came out to replace Burch, bunted well, and before we knew it, the situation was 1 out and 3rd base.

-Pinch hitter, Choi~ Jincheol!

And senior Jin-cheol, who can send the ball to the outfield in any situation, came to the plate in place of senior Su-ho, who had been struggling throughout the series except for walks. The defensive position of the infielders is a forward defense that will not give even a single point.

Perfect!

However, senior Jincheol’s batted ball passes the infielders who are close together and floats high into the outfield. Kim Jong-hoon, who replaced Sangju senior as a pinch runner, sprints with all his might and slips toward home.

“Safe!”

‘As expected, it’s senior Jincheol. ‘I didn’t waste my time.’

And that score became the final score of this game,

“AT Thunders’ 4th consecutive win in the Korean Series, and the long-awaited MVP! “Jimaengho hit six home runs in five games!”

I was able to finish my performance in Korea by receiving my third Korean Series MVP award.

“Ji Maeng-ho, please share your thoughts on winning the Korean Series MVP!”

“Well, the players and fans of the nine teams have had a hard time so far, right? Rest assured now. I am now going to America. Then have fun!”