Foreign player Lewin Diaz of the Samsung Lions hit a walk-off home run and said, "It seems like there is nothing to say but that it feels good. It's my second walk-off, and I feel so good," with a bright smile.
On the 18th, Diaz started as the cleanup hitter and first baseman in the home game against Doosan Bears at Daegu Samsung Lions Park. After grounding out to the pitcher in the 2nd inning and striking out in the 4th, he faced his third at-bat in the 6th inning with 2 outs and 2 runners in scoring position, trailing 0-3.
He hit a two-run home run over the right-center fence after targeting the forkball (133 km/h) from Doosan's starting pitcher Choi Min-seok, marking the start of the comeback.
Samsung tied the game at 3-3 in the 8th inning with 2 outs and 2 runners in scoring position after a crucial double by Yoo Jae-wook while trailing 2-3.
In the 10th inning of extra play, tied at 3-3, Kim Sung-yoon opened the inning with a double after one out, and Yoo Jae-wook reached base on an automatic intentional walk, creating a chance with runners on 1st and 2nd. At bat, Diaz pulled the 4th slider on a count of 2 balls and 1 strike and sent it soaring into the right field stands, a thrilling walk-off three-run home run.
Diaz played a crucial role in securing the winning series with 2 home runs and 5 RBIs. He said, "Rather than thinking about hitting a home run, I aimed to not miss a bad pitch and to make a ball in play."
He didn't forget to express his gratitude to the fans. "I thank all the fans who always cheer for us. If you continue to support us like this, I will work even harder," he noted.
Manager Park Jin-man also gave a thumbs up to Diaz. "It was Diaz's day. He changed the momentum with the home run in the 6th, and hitting a walk-off home run in the 10th means he did it all by himself," he praised.
He added, "Yoo Jae-wook's tying hit was also crucial, and Kim Sung-yoon's contributions in both the 8th and 10th innings were excellent."
The bullpen that combined for 5 scoreless innings also shone. Manager Park Jin-man praised, "The five relief pitchers, including Hwang Dong-jae, Kim Tae-hoon, Bae Chan-seung, Lee Ho-seong, and Kim Jae-yoon, kept the scoreless innings, which became the driving force for the comeback victory."
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