Eliezer Hernandez, an overseas pitcher for the LG Twins in the Korean professional baseball league, returned to the first-team mound for the first time in 45 days and achieved his third quality start of the season.

Hernandez, who was sidelined due to right thigh pain, made a start in the home game against the Samsung Lions at Jamsil Stadium on the 30th.

LG's starting lineup consisted of center fielder Park Hae-min, left fielder Kim Hyun-soo, first baseman Austin Dean, designated hitter Moon Bo-gyeong, catcher Park Dong-won, shortstop Oh Ji-hwan, third baseman Gu Bon-hyeok, right fielder Song Chan-ui, and second baseman Shin Min-jae.

Samsung, with left-handed pitcher Lee Seung-hyun as the starter, arranged their batting order with center fielder Kim Ji-chan, right fielder Kim Sung-yoon, left fielder Koo Ja-wook, first baseman Lewin Diaz, catcher Kim Jae-seong, second baseman Ryu Ji-hyuk, shortstop Lee Jae-hyun, third baseman Kim Young-woong, and designated hitter Kim Tae-hoon.

Before the game, LG manager Youm Kyoung-youb met with reporters and said, "Hernandez is planned to throw no more than 90 pitches. We won’t push him too hard," adding, "Given that he has rested enough and prepared well, I expect a good performance."

In the first inning, Hernandez retired Kim Ji-chan with a line drive to shortstop and allowed a single to Kim Sung-yoon, but he induced Koo Ja-wook into a double play to end the inning. In the second inning, he wrapped up with his first 1-2-3 inning, shutting down Lewin Diaz, Kim Jae-seong, and Ryu Ji-hyuk.

In the third inning, Hernandez faced a crisis with one out and runners on second and third due to a walk to Lee Jae-hyun and an infield single from Kim Tae-hoon. He gave up one run on a sacrifice fly from Kim Ji-chan but managed to handle Koo Ja-wook's ground ball and finished the inning.

In the fourth inning, Hernandez allowed an infield single to lead-off hitter Lewin Diaz but secured outs against Kim Jae-seong, Ryu Ji-hyuk, and Lee Jae-hyun. In the fifth inning, with two outs and no runners, he gave up back-to-back hits to Kim Ji-chan and Park Seung-kyu but turned Koo Ja-wook's ground ball into an out.

Hernandez dominated Lewin Diaz, Kim Jae-seong, and Ryu Ji-hyuk in the sixth inning, retiring them in order. After recording 6 innings with 6 hits allowed, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts, and 1 earned run, Hernandez exited in the seventh inning with a 1-1 tie.

On this day, Hernandez threw 87 pitches. His maximum speed reached 151 km/h, mixing various pitches including curves, sliders, changeups, cut fastballs, and two-seam fastballs.

[OSEN]