Concentration when facing the No. 2 team is the biggest reason why the KIA Tigers have been able to stay in first place even in the midst of instability.
Even when faced with a difficult situation, the Tigers always managed to take a winning series against the second-place team and never lost their grip on first place. In the first game of the second half against the second-place LG Twins in Jamsil on Sept. 9, Kia got off to a good start with 17 hits, including a grand slam by Choi Hyung-woo, in an 11-4 victory. After losing three straight to the Samsung Lions in the final three games of the first half, Kia extended its winning streak to four games with the LG win. Despite being without starting first baseman Lee Woo-sung and closer Jeong Hae-young, Kia has a comfortable 4.5-game lead over LG and Doosan in second place.
After starter James Nail shut down the LG bats with a perfect four-hit, four-pitch shutout through the first four innings, scoring three runs on four consecutive hits by Kim Do-young, Choi Hyung-woo, and Na Sung-beom Kim Sun-bin following a walk by Choi Won-joon in the top of the first inning, Kia took a 5-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning, when LG had runners on first and third with nobody out, and opted to go to Choi Hyung-woo, who hit a wedge over the right field fence off left-handed reliever Sang-young Lee to effectively seal the game. Choi Hyung-woo finished 3-for-5 with five RBIs and two runs scored, Kim Do-young went 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs, and Na Sung-beom went 4-for-3 with a home run, three RBIs and one run scored as the three center fielders combined for eight hits, nine RBIs and seven runs scored on the day.
Nail earned his eighth win of the season despite giving up two runs in the fifth and two in 카지노사이트 the sixth, allowing four runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings.
“We were a little concerned about the hitters’ hitting after only five days off, but I’m happy with the way we kept it together,” said Nail. “We knew the first game was important because it was against the second-place team. All the batters did a good job, so we were able to win the game comfortably,” he said.
“We scored three runs in the first inning, starting with Kim Do-young’s RBI single, to take the lead, and then added another run in the top of the sixth inning with Choi Hyung-woo’s decisive walk-off home run. “All of our hitters did a good job, including the center fielders,” said Lee, who praised his 17-hit lineup. “On the pitching side, Nail did a good job setting the tone early, even though he gave up a run. The bullpen did a great job closing out the game without allowing a run,” he said.
“With a good start to the second half, we will prepare well for the upcoming games. Thank you to our fans for their unwavering support,” he concluded.
