A close friend is gone. Can Tucker Davidson of the Lotte Giants lead the team's escape from a three-game losing streak without a close friend?

Davidson has recorded 6 wins, 1 loss, and an earned run average of 2.37 (64⅔ innings, 17 earned runs) in 11 games this season. He is currently the ace of the Lotte mound, ranking 4th in the league in earned run average and exhibiting his ace qualities with 8 quality starts (3 earned runs or fewer in over 6 innings).

He has been strong against SSG, whom he will face that day. In 2 games against them, he has recorded 1 win and an earned run average of 1.23 (14⅔ innings, 2 earned runs). In his debut on March 25 at Incheon, he pitched 7 innings, allowing 3 hits (1 home run), 2 walks, striking out 2 batters, and allowing 1 earned run. He started well on the Korean stage, though he did not receive a decision. In the match against SSG on the 7th, he pitched 7⅔ innings, allowing 5 hits, 1 walk, striking out 9 batters, and allowing 1 earned run, this time becoming the winning pitcher.

However, in his most recent appearance on the 24th against Hanwha, he recorded 5 innings, allowing 8 hits (2 home runs) and 6 earned runs (4 earned runs). This was his highest earned runs and earned runs allowed in a game this season. Additionally, he had not allowed a home run in 9 consecutive games since his debut on March 25 against SSG, but he allowed 2 home runs in that game.

Davidson has struggled in only 2 games this season: against Hanwha on the 24th and against Doosan on April 6. In that game, Davidson was taken out early after pitching 2⅔ innings, allowing 6 hits, 3 walks, 1 strikeout, and 3 earned runs. Except for these 2 games, he has had no flaws in his pitching, and there is a common point. That is the catcher. The catcher for games where he pitched well was Jeung Bo-keun, while the catcher for the 2 games where he struggled was Yoo Kang-nam.

Davidson has continuously worked with Jeung Bo-keun. The season is being managed with primary catcher Yoo Kang-nam and backup Jeung Bo-keun, and Jeung has been consistently assigned as Davidson's dedicated catcher. This allowed for the natural fulfillment of the task to maintain Yoo's rest and Jeung's game sense. Davidson has found comfort in working with Jeung. However, there is significant variation when he pitches with other catchers, which draws more attention.

However, Jeung is currently not in the first team. He injured his wrist during a batting process in the game against LG on the 21st. He was removed from the first team roster the next day, the 22nd, to heal his previously injured knee. Since the match against Hanwha on the 24th, Davidson will be playing without a close friend for the time being. As a result, the outcome of the Hanwha game was not good, and in the upcoming game against SSG, he will have to work with a catcher other than Jeung. Primary catcher Yoo Kang-nam was also severely hit on the shoulder by a foul ball in the match against Samsung in Daegu on the 27th, making only a pinch hitting appearance on the 29th. Manager Kim Tae-hyoung noted that if the shoulder pain does not recover, Yoo could also be excluded from the first team. If Yoo cannot play, one of the inexperienced Son Seong-bin or rookie Park Jae-yeop will have to work with Davidson. So far, Davidson is a pitcher who 'burns' catchers. Davidson is about to face a test.

However, the current team cannot accommodate Davidson's circumstances. They are currently on a three-game losing streak. The 3rd place position has become precarious, now only 2 games ahead of 4th place KT, and the gap has narrowed to 2.5 games against SSG, whom they will face that day. It has become crucial how well Davidson can interrupt the three-game losing streak.

Meanwhile, SSG, who marked 2 wins and 1 draw in a three-game series against NC earlier in the week, heads to Sajik with Mitch White set to start. White has been performing well this season with 4 wins, 1 loss, and an earned run average of 2.40 in 7 games. Despite starting the season late due to a hamstring injury, he has been fulfilling the role of an ace as expected.

Against Lotte, he pitched in a game on the 5th in Sajik, allowing 3 hits, 1 walk, striking out 3 batters, and allowing 1 earned run over 8 innings, becoming the winning pitcher.

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