The top of the sixth inning, after two days of preparation for both teams. For Samsung, it set the stage for a shocking upset.
Game 1 of the Korean Series between the Samsung Lions and Kia Tigers was suspended in the top of the sixth inning due to rain and resumed two days later. Samsung struck first in the top of the sixth inning with a 1-0 lead and runners on first and second with no outs. It was a key point to score an extra run and put pressure on the opponent in a heated atmosphere.
With Game 1 rained out and two days to prepare, the managers of both teams focused on the top of the sixth inning. Starting with the offense, Samsung manager Park Jin-man said, “Depending on how we score in the top of the sixth inning, it will determine which pitcher we send out (after Won Tae-in). The starting pitcher for the second game may also be different depending on the outcome of the sixth inning of the first game.”
Kia also struggled with which pitcher to send out first in the resumed game. Kia took the first move. Instead of Jang Hyun-sik, who was the last pitcher before the game was suspended, they chose Jeon Sang-hyun.
With runners on first and second, the first Samsung batter to bat was Kim Young-woong.
He got the first pitch of the game and had a 1B advantage. Another key was what kind of game plan Samsung would bring to the plate.
The batter was Kim Young-woong, an emerging power hitter who has been blasting home runs since the playoffs.
Samsung chose to bunt. Jeon tried a sacrifice bunt on Sang-hyun Jeon’s 143-kilometer fastball, and it was a good one, 파워볼사이트 but the pitch was too honest. There wasn’t enough time for the runners to run. Catcher Kim Tae-gun caught it and threw to third, and Lewin Diaz, who was running in from second, was thrown out.
Kim Young-woong lived at first base, but his bunt failed as the runners in scoring position were thrown out. After leaving both runners safely in scoring position, the plan to rely on Park Byung-ho and Yoon Jeong-bin completely failed.
After a failed bunt by Kim Young-woong put runners on first and second, Park Byung-ho struck out and Yoon Jeong-bin walked to keep their hopes alive, but Lee Jae-hyun was caught on a grounder in front of the pitcher in the top of the sixth inning, squandering a two-day, three-run opportunity.
The Samsung bench wasn’t as bold.
Kim Young-woong is a center fielder who has rarely bunted this season. He’s not used to sacrifice bunt situations. As it turned out, if they wanted to bunt, they could have used a pinch-hitter like Kim Sung-yoon to get the runners to safety and wait it out. Alternatively, it could have been better to hit a hard drive to Kim Young-woong, who has had a good feel for the game since the playoffs, and let him handle the situation himself.
But since it was the top of the sixth inning, not the end of the game, the fear of taking Young-Woong out too soon and missing a late-inning opportunity may have played a role.
The price for giving up the chance to score was harsh. A one-run lead was not enough to keep the KIA bats in check. In the bottom of the seventh inning, the bullpen faltered, giving up four runs in quick succession, and the momentum was completely lost, ending Game 1 with a shocking 5-1 loss.
One moment of failure. The cost was high. Samsung was left on the ropes after the shocking Game 1 loss over two nights and three days. It’s not just Game 2, but the entire series.