Professional baseball team KIA Tigers has fallen into a three-game losing streak.
KIA lost 5-6 against LG Twins on the 25th at Gwangju KIA Champions Field. It was a fierce battle with lead changes, and despite using their best pitchers, KIA has now dropped to 11 wins and 15 losses. They are three games behind fifth-place Hanwha Eagles and 0.5 games ahead of ninth-place NC Dinos.
KIA scored first in the second inning, but allowed a 1-3 lead in the third. In the fourth, Kim Do-young, returning after 34 days due to a hamstring injury suffered in the opening game, came in as a pinch hitter with the bases loaded and hit a two-run game-tying single. Following that, Choi Hyung-woo hit a two-run double with two outs and the bases loaded, putting KIA ahead 5-3.
The dazzling return of the superstar completely changed the atmosphere, but in the sixth inning, starter Yang Hyun-jong was replaced during a bases-loaded crisis and allowed a 5-5 tie. In the ninth, with two outs and runners on first and second, closer Jeong Hae-young allowed an infield single by Shin Min-jae and a throwing error by the second baseman, resulting in a 5-6 lead change.
A disappointing situation arose in the bottom of the ninth. In a final offensive with a one-point deficit, the leadoff batter failed to recognize a hit-by-pitch and missed the opportunity.
LG's closer Jang Hyun-sik took the mound in the bottom of the ninth to face his former team. Lee Woo-sung stepped up to the plate. Jang Hyun-sik's first pitch fastball seemed to slip from his hand and quickly flew toward Lee Woo-sung's chest. Startled, Lee Woo-sung leaned back to avoid it. The ball was missed by catcher Park Dong-won and flew into the back net. However, it slightly grazed his jersey.
The issue was that Lee Woo-sung did not seem to realize that the ball had brushed against his clothing, showing no particular reaction. He did not appeal to the umpire. From the KIA bench's perspective, the angle was obscured by the right-handed hitter Lee Woo-sung, making it hard to see. Umpire Hwang In-gwon also failed to catch the missed brush against Lee Woo-sung's uniform as the 148 km fastball passed by in an instant. They simply continued the game. Thus, the "hit-by-pitch that brushed the uniform" went unnoticed by anyone and became a non-issue.
Afterward, Lee Woo-sung struck out swinging. The following batter, Kim Tae-kyun, reached base with an infield single to third. If Lee Woo-sung had reached base on the hit-by-pitch, it would have been an opportunity with no outs and runners on first and second. It was bad luck for KIA. With one out and a runner on first, Byeon Woo-hyeok grounded out to the third baseman, and pinch hitter Oh Seon-woo grounded out to the shortstop, resulting in a loss.
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