Professional baseball Samsung Lions pitcher Choi Won-tae was removed early, unable to complete five innings against his former team, the LG Twins.
Choi Won-tae started as the starting pitcher in the game against LG on the 16th at Jamsil Stadium. He struggled, finishing with 3⅓ innings, allowing 6 hits, 4 walks, 2 strikeouts, and 6 earned runs.
Last year, Choi Won-tae recorded a record of 9 wins and 7 losses with an earned run average (ERA) of 4.26 over 24 games while playing for LG. After the season, Choi Won-tae acquired free agency status and had difficulties negotiating with his former team, LG. Choi Won-tae left LG to sign a free agent contract with Samsung for up to 7 billion won over four years. LG brought in pitcher Choi Chae-hung as a compensation player.
Choi Won-tae has a record of 2 wins and an earned run average (ERA) of 4.50 over 3 games this season. The team is currently on a three-game losing streak, making a strong performance against his former team even more crucial.
The Samsung lineup scored 2 runs in the top of the first inning. Choi Won-tae started cleanly with a three-up, three-down in the first inning. In the second inning, after one out, he allowed a double to Oh Ji-hwan that hit the right field fence. In the at-bat of Moon Seong-joo, he fell behind in the count 2 balls, and Choi Won-tae picked off the runner at second base with a throw. Oh Ji-hwan’s lead was long, which led to the pickoff.
However, he issued a walk to Moon Seong-joo and allowed a two-run home run to Park Dong-won that went over the left field wall. The score was tied at 2-2.
After two outs in the third inning, he allowed consecutive walks to Kim Hyun-soo and Austin. With two outs and runners at first and second, he gave up a single to Moon Bo-kyung, allowing the score to reverse at 2-3.
Choi Won-tae found himself in trouble again in the fourth inning. He issued a walk to the leadoff batter, Moon Seong-joo. He then allowed a single to Park Dong-won, who had previously hit a home run. With no outs and runners at first and second, LG employed a sacrifice bunt strategy. Park Hae-min executed a sacrifice bunt, putting runners at second and third with one out.
During Shin Min-jae's ground ball to the second baseman, the throw to home was high and also went off to the left. The catcher couldn't make the tag, and the runner was safe. The score became 2-4.
In the continued crisis with one out and runners at first and third, he allowed a one-run single to Hong Chang-ki and a one-run single to Kim Hyun-soo. The score widened to 2-6, and Choi Won-tae was pulled from the game, replaced by relief pitcher Lee Ho-sung.
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