“My whole body aches, but I can't loosen up properly.”

The professional baseball NC Dinos are using Ulsan as a temporary residence to play home games. While there is a sense of relief in being able to play home games again, the fact that they still cannot utilize the perfect and state-of-the-art facilities of Changwon NC Park is a significant issue.

Manager Lee Ho-jun has also renovated the manager's office since taking office, but it has yet to be used properly. They are in a situation where they cannot use the newly acquired massage machine either. Lee Ho-jun smiled and lamented, saying, “My whole body aches.” In fact, the real problem lies with the players. They have been receiving ample management from trainers and relaxing their muscles in the spacious recovery room of Changwon NC Park. However, as the away schedule prolongs, they are unable to receive proper management. They brought the recovery tools used in Changwon when setting up a temporary residence at Ulsan Munsoo Stadium, but it is not possible to perfectly replicate that. Currently, the players cannot properly recover after games and are carrying various muscle injuries, both big and small.

Nonetheless, NC has emerged as a dark horse that shakes up the mid-tier standings. The players' fighting spirit has united the team. On the 22nd, NC achieved a close victory of 4-3 against the Hanwha Eagles at Ulsan Munsoo Stadium. By completing a winning series of 2 wins and 1 loss against Hanwha, they reached a .500 win rate with 22 wins, 22 losses, and 1 draw.

The game that day was a battle of 'David and Goliath.' Cody Ponce, the league's top ace challenging for the Triple Crown in wins, strikeouts, and earned run average, had to face Goliath. In contrast, NC's substitute starter, Kim Nok-won, was the ‘David.’

However, NC was persistent. Kim Nok-won is a rookie pitcher, but Manager Lee Ho-jun had high expectations for him. Although he lacks experience in pitch quality, control, and stamina, he received praise in all categories. If the batting lineup could hold out somewhat and take Ponce out quickly, they believed they would have a chance to win. The plan was, “If Kim Nok-won holds out well, we intend to make our move in the latter half of the game.”

Ultimately, the game flowed as NC had anticipated. Facing Ponce, who had recorded 100 pitches in 5 consecutive games and was making a start after 4 days of rest, NC aggressively attacked and relentlessly pressed on. They scored 2 runs by the 5th inning and forced Ponce to throw 89 pitches. His form was not as perfect as before. Ultimately, in the 6th inning, after Ponce was taken out, NC regained the lead and secured the victory. Kim Nok-won pitched 5⅓ innings, allowing 3 hits (1 home run), 3 walks, 5 strikeouts, and 3 earned runs, while the bullpen of Son Ju-hwan, Kim Jin-ho, Bae Jae-hwan, and Ryu Jin-wook held the scoreless line. After the game, Manager Lee Ho-jun said, “Even in tight situations, the players showed great concentration, and the batters set the stage for victory by tenaciously competing against the opposing ace, Ponce.”

Catcher Park Se-hyuk, who produced timely hits against Ponce and scored the equalizer in the 6th inning, emphasized, “It’s not important that I got hits today, but that (Kim) Nok-won pitched incredibly well. I want to thank him for holding out so well even when it could have been shaky.” He added, “We achieved victory today against the league's best pitcher. Today, we truly came together as one to earn this win. (Park) Gun-woo got a hit, and (Park) Min-woo also contributed with a hit. (Son) Ah-seop also provided support from behind. The entire team has gained significant confidence.”

With this victory, NC achieved a .500 win rate and became the top team in May. With a record of 12 wins, 5 losses, and 1 draw, they claimed the best May performance with a .706 win rate, surpassing LG (11 wins, 6 losses, and 1 draw) and Lotte (11 wins, 6 losses, and 2 draws). They have transcended the sorrow of not being able to return to Changwon, displaying their skills and spirit at 120%.

Since the structural collapse accident that occurred on March 29, NC has been unable to return to Changwon NC Park. The players suffered from the irresponsible handling of the incident by Changwon City and the Changwon Facilities Corporation during emergency safety inspections and the process of deciding on reopening. Even if they complete preparations to reopen, NC cannot trust Changwon City.

While there is gratitude for Ulsan City for extending a helping hand during difficult times, NC still hopes to return to play at Changwon NC Park while riding the current upward momentum.

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