"I could say that my pitching was the best since coming to Korea."
Foreign pitcher James Naile of the KIA Tigers struggled in his start against the Daegu Samsung Lions on the 23rd, pitching 6⅓ innings with 8 hits, 1 walk, 8 strikeouts, and 4 earned runs. He reached a maximum velocity of 151 km/h and mixed in a two-seam fastball, changeup, cutter, and sweeper.
Though the results might leave room for disappointment, manager Lee Beom-ho had a positive reaction. Meeting with reporters ahead of the game on the 24th, he noted, “His condition was very good yesterday. He said he felt great even before the game. I could say that my pitching was the best since coming to Korea. Given his good condition, he pitched aggressively, but I think positively about it.”
He added, “Even if we give up runs, our hitters catch up quickly, so Naile seems to gain more strength. Since he is our ace, he needs to pitch aggressively rather than simply trying to escape.
Lee Woo-sung, who had struggled for a while, regained his form with 3 hits in 5 at-bats, 2 RBIs, and 1 run scored on this day. Manager Lee Beom-ho projected, “Baseball has a significant psychological aspect. Since the hits keep coming, he seems to have relaxed psychologically. As he executes the plays he can handle, I believe he will continue to perform well.”
He also did not forget to praise Oh Sun-woo, who made a crucial home play in the 7th inning. Manager Lee Beom-ho said, “Wouldn’t it be great to be playing in the first team right now? I think he had a strong desire to do well in the first team, and it's clear that he enjoys being on the field. Since he can handle both first base and outfield defense, it broadens my options as a manager.”
Meanwhile, KIA's starting lineup consisted of shortstop Park Chan-ho, second baseman Yoon Do-hyun, third baseman Kim Do-young, designated hitter Choi Hyung-woo, right fielder Lee Woo-sung, first baseman Byun Woo-hyuk, left fielder Oh Sun-woo, catcher Han Jun-su, and center fielder Kim Ho-ryeong. The starting pitcher is right-hander Kim Do-hyun.
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