By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Oct. 6 (Yonhap) — In winning their South Korean baseball title last year, the LG Twins dropped the opening game of the Korean Series against the KT Wiz by the score of 3-2 before taking the next four games.
To begin the first round of the 2024 Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) postseason on Saturday, the Twins lost to the Wiz 3-2 — after facing the same starting pitcher, Ko Young-pyo, and giving up the game-winning hit to the same hitter, Moon Sang-chul, as Game 1 of last year’s Korean Series.
Austin Dean of the LG Twins celebrates after hitting an RBI single against the KT Wiz during Game 1 of the first round in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Oct. 5, 2024. (Yonhap)
These symmetries are not lost on the Twins, most of whose championship core are still around.
“Hopefully, history repeats itself and we can win today and you win the next two after that,” first baseman Austin Dean told Yonhap News Agency on Sunday, before Game 2 against the Wiz at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. Dean drove in one of the Twins’ two runs Saturday with a single.
“But you know, we just got to play our game, make fewer mistakes than them and hopefully, the outcome is in our favor,” Dean added.
Outfielder Park Hae-min said there is a little more urgency for this series because the first round is best of five, as opposed to the best-of-seven Korean Series. The Wiz need two more wins to knock off the defending champions.
Elieser Hernandez of the LG Twins celebrates after retiring the side in the top of the eighth inning against the KT Wiz during Game 1 of the first round in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Oct. 5, 2024. (Yonhap)
“Last year is last year, and this is a new series. But we will try to take whatever positive things we can take from then,” Park said. “But I still think we can’t keep thinking about last year. We have to focus on today’s game. It only takes three wins to claim this series so we have to turn things around quickly.”
While the position player group is virtually the same for the Twins from a year ago, their bullpen has undergone major changes, most notably closer Go Woo-suk having departed for the United States.
You Young-chan took over as closer this season and notched a career-high 26 saves. But You was not available for Saturday, after his father had passed away earlier in the week.
You was back with the Twins on Sunday but it wasn’t immediately clear if he’d be able to pitch right away.
That puts the onus on veteran reliever Kim Jin-sung and starter-turned-reliever Elieser Hernandez to handle the late innings. The two right-handers combined for 3 2/3 shutout innings Saturday and said they will be ready to go at it again Sunday.
“I want to do everything to help the team,” said Hernandez, who threw 27 pitches Saturday. “I don’t know how many innings I’m going to throw today but I’m going to be available for the game.”
Kim, who has the most postseason experience among Twins pitchers with 27 games, said the Twins are trying to pick up You the best they can.
KT Wiz second baseman Kim Sang-su speaks to reporters before Game 2 of the first round in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Oct. 5, 2024. (Yonhap)
“He is still our closer, but I hope he doesn’t feel bad just because he couldn’t pitch earlier. We’re going to do our best if he can’t go,” Kim said. “In the Korean Series last year, we lost the first game and then didn’t lose again. So the loss yesterday didn’t faze us at all. We just have to go out and try to do whatever it takes to win.”
Kim, Hernandez and the rest of the Twins staff will face a different-looking Wiz lineup Sunday. The Wiz welcomed back second baseman Kim Sang-su, who had been out since the end of the regular season last month with a finger injury.
He batted .321 against the Twins during the regular season and has had a strong track record against Sunday’s starter, Im Chan-kyu.
While Kim was sidelined, the Wiz won three straight “do-or-die” games to reach the first round and then beat the Twins 3-2 Saturday.
“In the clubhouse, we joke about how we really are the magical team. It’s almost strange how often things have been going our way,” Kim said with a smile, giving a nod to the team’s nickname. “I think our confidence is running high. Since we’ve been the underdogs along the way, we’ve been relaxed and I think that has led to such good results. The pressure is on the other team.”
Reliever Son Dong-hyun said luck has been on his team’s side during the current run, with well-hit balls by their opponents going right at Wiz fielders. He said he has been trying to take advantage of those situations.
“I think a pitcher always has to compete with confidence,” he said. “I won’t always be great on the mound, but I will try to stay confident and positive.”
Son made history Saturday by becoming the first pitcher to complete an inning on three pitches. In the bottom seventh, he got two flyouts and a groundout.
“It felt great but I didn’t feel like I actually pitched. It went by so quickly,” Son said with a smile. “I wish I would have pitched a bit longer. And I will be ready to go at it again today.”
KT Wiz reliever Son Dong-hyun speaks to reporters before Game 2 of the first round in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Oct. 5, 2024. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
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