The professional baseball Samsung Lions were defeated in a comeback loss against the NC Dinos after a slugfest.
Samsung led 6-2 in the game against NC held at Daegu Samsung Lions Park on the 7th, but lost 7-11. Following this loss, Samsung fell from 3rd to 5th place. KT Wiz and Lotte Giants are tied for 3rd, and Samsung is now in 5th, half a game behind.
Both starting pitchers were removed early. NC starter Shin Min-hyuk was pulled after 1⅔ innings, allowing 3 hits (1 home run), 1 walk, and 6 runs (2 earned) due to 4 defensive errors. Samsung starter Reyes was removed after 3 innings, allowing 6 hits (1 home run), 2 walks, 3 strikeouts, and 4 runs.
In the bullpen battle, NC displayed powerful hitting to secure a comeback victory. It was disappointing for Samsung that veterans Oh Seung-hwan, Lim Chang-min, and Kim Jae-yoon allowed crucial runs simultaneously.
Manager Park Jin-man noted that since mid-May, rookie Bae Chan-seung and newcomer Lee Ho-seong have been used as setup man and closer, while veterans Kim Jae-yoon, Lim Chang-min, and Oh Seung-hwan were expected to take on the role of comeback squad in the 6th and 7th innings. However, the '735 save trio' of Oh Seung-hwan (427 saves), Lim Chang-min (123 saves), and Kim Jae-yoon (185 saves) did not meet expectations in the game against NC on the 7th.
Oh Seung-hwan took the mound as the second pitcher in the 4th inning, leading 6-4. Making his first appearance in the first team on the 3rd, Oh Seung-hwan faced 3 batters in the game against SSG on the 4th, recording 1 hit, 1 walk, and no runs in ⅓ inning. This was his second appearance.
Oh Seung-hwan struck out lead-off hitter Kim Hyeong-jun with a 145 km/h fastball. After one out, he allowed a single to Cheon Jae-hwan. He got Choi Jeong-won to ground into a pitcher’s out, resulting in a 2-out, 1st base situation.
However, he allowed a two-run home run to Kim Joo-won on a curveball (123 km/h) with a count of 2 balls and 2 strikes, tying the game at 6-6 in an instant. Oh Seung-hwan allowed a hit to Park Min-woo, and the Samsung bench replaced him with Hwang Dong-jae. He recorded ⅔ innings, allowing 2 hits and 2 runs.
In the 5th inning, Ryu Ji-hyuk hit a solo home run to regain the lead at 7-6. Hwang Dong-jae allowed a hit to lead-off hitter Son A-seop in the 7th inning. During Oh Young-soo's ground ball to first base, the Samsung infield successfully executed a reverse double play. However, NC challenged the call for a tag out at second base, which was overturned to safe. With one out and runners on 2nd base, Kim Hyeong-jun reached base on a walk, prompting Samsung to replace the pitcher from Hwang Dong-jae to Lim Chang-min.
Lim Chang-min allowed a ground ball single to Cheon Jae-hwan, facing a crisis with runners on all bases. He then gave up a timely hit to Kim Hwi-jip, allowing the tie at 7-7. Samsung took out Lim Chang-min, who could not record an out, and replaced him again with left-handed Lee Seung-min. With two outs and bases loaded, he allowed a two-RBI timely hit to Park Min-woo, reversing the score to 7-9. Lim Chang-min worsened the crisis, recording 0 innings, 2 hits, and 1 run.
In the 9th inning, Kim Jae-yoon took the mound. He held the opposition scoreless and hoped for the last attack in the bottom of the 9th, but instead, allowed an insurance run. Kim Jae-yoon recorded 2 outs well, getting a foul fly to the third baseman and a strikeout. However, he allowed consecutive hits to Kim Hwi-jip and Kim Joo-won, placing runners on 1st and 2nd base. He allowed a bases-clearing triple to Park Min-woo, increasing the score to 7-11. He was replaced by Yuk Seon-yeop. He struggled with ⅔ innings, allowing 3 hits and 2 runs.
Lim Chang-min has recorded 1 win, 2 holds, and an earned run average of 5.40 over 13 games. Kim Jae-yoon stepped down from the closer position in mid-May. He had a streak of 4 consecutive scoreless games but allowed 2 runs today. This season, he has recorded 2 wins, 3 losses, 5 saves, 2 holds, and an earned run average of 6.92 over 28 games.
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