The professional baseball team Samsung Lions defeated the NC Dinos, led by the perfect game of foreign pitcher Ariel Hurado, wrapping up the weekend three-game series with a winning series.
Samsung won 1-0 in a home game against NC at Daegu Samsung Lions Park on the 8th. Thus, they finished the three-game series against NC with 2 wins and 1 loss. Starter Hurado celebrated his 6th win of the season with a shutout. NC starter Shin Young-woo became the losing pitcher, but after making his professional debut in 2023, he set new personal records for most innings in a single game (previously 3⅔ innings), strikeouts (previously 6), and pitches (previously 78).
Samsung formed its starting lineup with center fielder Kim Ji-chan, second baseman Ryu Ji-hyuk, left fielder Koo Ja-wook, first baseman Lewin Diaz, third baseman Kim Young-woong, shortstop Lee Jae-hyun, designated hitter Park Byung-ho, catcher Kim Jae-sung, and right fielder Lee Sung-kyu.
Before the game, Samsung made changes to its first team roster. They removed foreign pitcher Denny Reyes and called up infielder Park Byung-ho and pitcher Yang Chang-seop to the first team. Reyes has made 10 appearances this season, recording 4 wins and 3 losses with an earned run average of 4.14. On the 7th, he started against NC in Daegu and left the mound early after pitching 3 innings, allowing 6 hits (1 home run), 2 walks, 3 strikeouts, and 4 earned runs.
Manager Park Jin-man said, "Reyes felt pain in his right ankle after finishing the third inning and was substituted early. He is scheduled for a thorough examination tomorrow." Following the removal of 'the ace of the blue blood' Won Tae-in from the first team roster for condition management, Reyes's injury has created a gap in the starting lineup. Manager Park Jin-man expressed his intention to use Yang Chang-seop and Hwang Dong-jae as substitute starters. He noted, "We will think more about the order of their appearances."
In response, NC put right-handed pitcher Shin Young-woo on the mound. The batting order was second baseman Choi Jeong-won, shortstop Kim Joo-won, designated hitter Park Min-woo, first baseman Matt Davidson, right fielder Son Ah-seop, left fielder Kwon Hee-dong, center fielder Han Seok-hyun, third baseman Kim Hwi-jip, and catcher Kim Jeong-ho. Right-handed pitcher Shin Min-hyuk, who started against Samsung on the 7th, struggled in 1⅔ innings, allowing 3 hits (1 home run), 1 walk, and 6 earned runs (2 of which were earned).
Lee Ho-jun, manager of NC, explained, "Regardless of the outcome, it was disappointing to see a lack of confidence, as the pitcher was tilting his head on the mound. The pitcher is the main character standing at the highest point on the field. Everyone is looking at the pitcher, and it's not good to show such an anxious appearance. So, I decided to substitute him early."
Samsung succeeded in scoring first in the 1st inning. Kim Ji-chan got on base with a walk, and Ryu Ji-hyuk reached base after getting hit by a pitch, creating a no-out opportunity with runners on first and second. Koo Ja-wook went down swinging for a strikeout, but Kim Ji-chan successfully stole third base. Taking advantage of an opponent's error, Ryu Ji-hyuk also settled on second base. NC's bench requested a video review, but the original call was upheld.
Samsung starter Hurado showcased a perfect pitching performance, taking responsibility for all 9 innings without giving up any runs. The day before, 7 pitchers were used in a painful 7-11 defeat, but Hurado single-handedly contained the NC lineup. NC starter Shin Young-woo faced a setback but had nothing to be ashamed of. He pitched well, with 5 innings, 4 walks, 7 strikeouts, and 1 earned run. Among a total of 79 pitches, he threw 43 strikes, reaching a maximum speed of 152 km/h while mixing sliders and curves.
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