Professional baseball team Kiwoom Heroes' 'one-of-a-kind rookie' Jung Hyun-woo, 19, has already secured 2 wins with the best pitching performance since his professional debut.

Jung Hyun-woo started against Hanwha on the 12th, leading Kiwoom to a 6-2 victory with a performance of 5 innings, 7 hits allowed, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts, and 2 earned runs. He achieved his second win in his third appearance of the season, lowering his earned run average to 4.80.

By reducing his walks from 7 and 5 in the previous 2 games to just 1, he stabilized his control. He mixed pitches effectively, throwing a fastball with a top speed of 147 km/h and an average of 141 km/h, alongside sliders (23), curves (13), and forkballs (8), effectively stifling Hanwha's ascending batting lineup.

Despite the inclement weather with rain falling early in the game, he calmly delivered his pitches. In the 2nd inning, he displayed composure by catching Chae Eun-sung, who was attempting to steal third base with one out and runners on first and second.

Hong Won-ki, the Kiwoom manager, noted in an interview before the game against Hanwha on the 13th that Jung had displayed mound management skills that did not seem typical for a rookie. He remarked that while Jung was nervous during his first game in Gwangju and threw too many pitches due to overthinking, it was crucial for him to regain his composure quickly. He stated, 'Yesterday was the true Jung Hyun-woo.'

Additionally, Manager Hong expressed hope that 'While the coaching staff gives advice, it’s important for the player to go on the mound to experience and realize it themselves. If unnecessary pitches are thrown, it will be difficult to be an inning eater. He likely felt this himself,' while adding, 'As he gains more experience, I believe he will showcase even better performances in future games.'

Following Jung Hyun-woo, the bullpen comprising Oh Seok-joo, Park Yun-sung, Won Jong-hyun, and Joo Seung-woo, also demonstrated stability with 1 inning each without allowing any runs. In particular, veteran Won Jong-hyun has shown stability by recording 2 holds over the last 4 games with 4 innings, allowing 1 hit, 1 walk, and 3 strikeouts, without giving up any runs. He bounced back after a rough start of allowing 2 earned runs in his first 2 games of the season.

Manager Hong expressed trust in Won Jong-hyun, stating, 'Since the camp, Won Jong-hyun has been in good condition. Early in the season, he faced bad luck with balls in play and errors, leading to home runs, which caused some concerns. However, his experience and expertise are invaluable. While velocity is important, he has considerable experience in game management as well.'

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