"It became a stable hit."

KIA Tigers manager Lee Beom-ho worked with Kim Ho-ryeong in one-on-one training during batting practice ahead of the match against Kiwoom Heroes on the 28th. Kim Ho-ryeong has been struggling to show sharp hitting. Until the previous day, he had a batting average of just .182 with 6 hits in 33 at-bats. His hitting has not been supported despite his excellent defensive skills.

Choi Won-jun has been sent down to the second team, and Park Jeong-woo is sidelined due to a hamstring injury. The center fielder situation is solely covered by Kim Ho-ryeong. They spent valuable time trying to raise his batting, and on that day, he was also used as the starting center fielder and eighth batter. Whether the personal coaching was effective can be seen as he recorded multi-hits and 3 RBIs, contributing to a 13-7 victory. In the second inning, he made an excellent defensive play by catching a double attempt by Choi Ju-hwan.

In the bottom of the second inning, trailing 0-2, he got on base with a hit-by-pitch with one out and two runners on second and third, setting the stage for a run. A sacrifice fly by Park Chan-ho followed with one out and the bases loaded. In his second at-bat in the fourth inning, he flew out to center field. In the fifth inning, as they were trailing 5-6, he struck out swinging on the fifth pitch. However, in the sixth inning, after they came back to lead 9-6, he drove in a run with an infield hit to the shortstop.

His last at-bat shined. In the eighth inning, leading 10-6, with two outs and runners on second and third, he hit a two-run double that dropped to the left of the left fielder on a changeup from Kiwoom's Lim Jin-wook. It was his first multi-hit game of the year and also his first multi-RBI game. It was a game where he showed potential not just as a defensive specialist but in hitting as well.

After the game, Kim Ho-ryeong expressed strong confidence in his defensive ability. "My current defensive condition is very good. My judgment on batted balls and subsequent actions are quick, and I feel more relaxed than before. There is the pressure of having to perform the center fielder role alone, but rather, I enjoy that pressure while approaching the game," he said.

He also explained his training with the manager. "We talked about my batting form. It's a batting style where I slightly open my left foot. He instructed me on a batting form where the left foot is closed during the swing. This was what the manager had emphasized since his time as the second team manager. We had a long discussion about the batting form, and I immediately applied it in today’s game, and I felt that I could hit more stably." /sunny@osrn.co.kr

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