It seemed they were overcoming the 'left-handed pitcher phobia,' but they nearly became a stunning perfect sacrifice.

The Korea Professional Baseball LG Twins lost to Kiwoom Heroes' left-handed pitcher Rosenberg, striking out 13 times and suffering a shutout loss. LG lost 0-4 in the game against Kiwoom held at Seoul's Gocheok Sky Dome on the 9th.

In the first matchup against Kiwoom's starting pitcher Rosenberg, LG started Hong Chang-ki (right fielder), Shin Min-jae (second baseman), Austin (designated hitter), Moon Bo-kyung (third baseman), Park Dong-won (catcher), Song Chan-eui (left fielder), Moon Jung-bin (first baseman), Koo Bon-hyuk (shortstop), and Choi Won-young (center fielder). Regulars Kim Hyun-soo, Oh Ji-hwan, and Park Hae-min were absent from the lineup. Instead, backups Moon Jung-bin (batting average .167), Koo Bon-hyuk (batting average .167), and Choi Won-young (batting average .000) started in the 7th to 9th spots.

Manager Yeom Kyung-yeop explained the bold lineup before the game, saying, “It's rest and opportunity. As I mentioned at the start of the year, we aim to achieve both development and performance,” emphasizing that this lineup provides rest for starters while giving opportunities to backup players.

Against the left-handed pitcher Rosenberg, they included six right-handed batters in the lineup, excluding left-handers Kim Hyun-soo, Oh Ji-hwan, and Park Hae-min. Manager Yeom noted that they considered right-handed batters against left-handed pitchers. Rosenberg's batting average against left-handed hitters is .276 and against right-handed hitters is .257 in three games. He allowed more hits to left-handed hitters, but he permitted significant home runs and doubles to right-handed batters, allowing three home runs and two doubles. Against left-handed batters, he only allowed one home run.

However, on this day, Rosenberg had what is often referred to as a 'scratching day.' He struck out two batters with 10 pitches in the first inning, ending it in a three-up, three-down manner. After the game, Rosenberg said, "I felt good after finishing the first inning." He maintained a perfect game until the fifth inning, recording a strikeout in every inning. By the fifth inning, he had thrown 55 pitches and struck out eight batters.

LG broke the perfect game in the sixth inning when Choi Won-young hit a grounder that fell into the right field line, which the first and second basemen chased but could not catch, with two outs. LG had only one hit until the seventh inning. In the eighth inning, with two outs, Oh Ji-hwan, who came in as a pinch hitter, walked, and Kim Hyun-soo hit a single to right field, creating runners on first and second base. Hong Chang-ki's well-hit ball was caught in front of the left fence on the warning track.

In the ninth inning, LG created a first and second base opportunity with consecutive hits from Shin Min-jae and Austin, chasing Rosenberg, who was aiming for a shutout. However, all three batters faced Yang Seung-woo and were retired on fly balls, resulting in a shutout loss.

Rosenberg became the winning pitcher with 8 innings, allowing 2 hits, 1 walk, and striking out 13 without allowing any runs. The 13 strikeouts in one game tie the record for the most strikeouts by a foreign pitcher in a single game set by Hohado last year. The all-time record for the franchise is 14 strikeouts, set by Han Hyun-hee against KT on April 10, 2015. He missed it by one. Additionally, he set the record for the 38th time in which every starting batter struck out.

LG, with many left-handed starters such as Hong Chang-ki, Shin Min-jae, Moon Bo-kyung, Kim Hyun-soo, Oh Ji-hwan, Park Hae-min, and Moon Seong-joo, exposed their weakness against left-handed starters. Benjamin and Heisus, who played for KT until last year, are known as typical LG killer pitchers. Left-handed pitchers such as NC's Choi Seong-young and Doosan's Choi Seung-yong also pitch against LG.

LG has been targeting foreign left-handed pitchers this season. They faced left-handed Barnes in the opening game, then Logan from NC and Heisus from KT one after the other. LG won all three games. LG inflicted a loss on Barnes, allowing 7 runs in 3 innings, and Logan recorded a no-decision by allowing 2 runs in 6 innings. In particular, Heisus, known as the 'natural enemy,' became the losing pitcher after allowing 3 runs (1 earned) in 6 innings. Heisus, who recorded three wins and only 1 earned run in 20 innings against LG last year, allowed his first earned run in a game against LG.

However, facing Rosenberg, the right-handed lineup did not work effectively, yielding an all-time high strikeout record and suffering a complete defeat. It remains to be seen whether Rosenberg will become LG's nemesis in the future.

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