Winning makes you want to win more, and because you keep winning, you want to continue winning. The players of the Lotte Giants, who have forgotten about their losing streak for over two weeks, have finally tasted victory.
The Lotte Giants of the Korea Professional Baseball League won 8-2 against the Doosan Bears in the fourth game of the season held at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on the 25th. Shin Dong-bin, chairman of Lotte Group, made a surprise visit to encourage the team at Jamsil Stadium, where they celebrated a pleasant victory in front of the team owner.
The standout player in the batting line was Na Seung-yeob. He made his debut as a starting fourth hitter, achieving 2 hits in 4 at-bats (1 home run), 3 RBIs, and 1 run scored, earning praise from manager Kim Tae-hyung, who noted, "Thanks to Na Seung-yeob's 2-run home run at a crucial moment, we were able to seize the momentum."
Na Seung-yeob, who got used to the atmosphere in Jamsil through strikeouts in the first and third innings, warmed up his bat with a hit in the fifth inning and then launched a home run in the seventh inning with no outs and a runner on first base to seize the momentum at 3-2. As first-base runner Victor RAY reached third base after a throwing error by the pitcher, Na Seung-yeob connected with Kim Ho-jun's sixth pitch, a high sinker (143 km), hitting a 115-meter home run. It was his sixth home run of the season, coming after three games since the match against the Samsung Lions on the 20th.
In the eighth inning, with the score at 7-2 and one out and a runner on third, Na Seung-yeob hit a sacrifice fly against the changed pitcher Kim Min-kyu, adding crucial insurance runs. Na Seung-yeob raised his batting average from .277 to .286, and with the additional home run, he jumped to a tie for sixth place in that category.
After the game, Na Seung-yeob said, "The team's atmosphere is really good these days. We have no losing streak and have started winning again, and it seems like our chairman gives us sincere love and attention, which energizes the team."
Was there no pressure associated with being a fourth hitter for the first time? Na Seung-yeob laughed and said, "Honestly, I was very surprised. I went out as the fourth hitter, but I thought of it as being just another at-bat. It’s the same whether you go up as the fourth hitter or not, so it didn’t feel like a big burden."
There was also a backstory related to the home run in the seventh inning. Na Seung-yeob reflected, "We went from no outs on first base to no outs on third base. We had previously given up two runs, so we were leading by only one run, but it wasn't an easy situation. I thought it was the timing to extend our lead, so I went up to bat thinking we should only get one more run, and fortunately, I hit a home run."
With this victory, Lotte seized the advantage in the three-game series, achieving their second consecutive win and moving to a season record of 15 wins, 1 draw, and 12 losses, ranking tied for second place. Since breaking a three-game losing streak on the 10th against the Kia Tigers, they have been alternating between three wins, one loss, four wins, one loss, one win, one loss, and two consecutive wins for over two weeks without a losing streak.
How good is the atmosphere in Lotte, considering they have managed a scary upward trend with 7 wins and 2 losses in their last 9 games? Na Seung-yeob mentioned, "These days, since the team is winning a lot, the players are eager to win more. However, just because we are doing well, we don’t enter games with a relaxed mindset. After each game, we reset together and aim to win again."
The head coach also praised the transformed Lotte players. Lotte manager Kim Tae-hyung remarked, "Starter Davidson pitched well for 6 innings, allowing only 2 runs, and the bullpen that followed did a great job. We were able to seize the momentum at a crucial moment with Na Seung-yeob's 2-run home run," and added, "I would like to express my gratitude to the team owner for taking the time to visit the baseball field and offer encouragement and support."
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