Heo Kyung-min hits one to lead team to fourth straight win
“It’s hard to pick a starter today.”
Doosan Bears manager Lee Seung-yeop removed the name of starting third baseman Heo Kyung-min from the starting lineup for their home game against SSG Landers in the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League at Jamsil Stadium on Thursday. “It’s difficult to start today,” Lee said, revealing that Heo will be used in the second half of the game due to a palm bruise. Park Jun-young was the starting third baseman for Doosan.
Without Heo, the Doosan bats struggled against SSG left-hander Roenis Elias until the eighth inning. They could only muster five hits as they were overpowered by Elias’ changeup. No runs were scored.
Doosan left-hander Choi Seung-yong had done his job, holding Elias to one run in the fifth inning, but a leadoff double to left-center field by Choi Jung with one out in the top of the inning proved costly. To make matters worse, Doosan gave up a solo home run to pinch-hitter Choi Ju-hwan in the top of the seventh to fall behind 0-2.
After missing a two-out, one-out opportunity in the bottom of the eighth, Doosan tried to turn the tide in its final at-bat in the top of the ninth. Against SSG reliever Seo Jin-yong, leadoff hitter Yang Seok-hwan singled up the middle and scored on a wild pitch. A failed bunt by pinch-hitter Lee Yoo-chan threatened, but a wild pitch by Seo Jin-yong kept the tying run at second base. Doosan scored a run on Kang Seung-ho’s grounder to shortstop.
Doosan continued to threaten with a walk to Kim In-tae and an automatic double by Park Kye-beom to end the inning. At this point, Lee 메이저사이트 pulled out his pinch-hitter, Heo Kyung-min. Heo, who had been on the bench all game, stepped up to the plate.
With the score tied at 2-2 after another wild pitch by Seo, all she needed was a hit. Heo took a four-pitch forkball from Seo Jinyong and smashed it over the shortstop’s head to bring home Kim In-tae from third base.
Down 0-2 heading into the bottom of the ninth, Doosan scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth to complete a thrilling 3-2 comeback and extend its winning streak to four games. With the loss, sixth-ranked Doosan (61-1-57) moved to within one game of fifth-ranked SSG (62-2-56).