“I remembered until this morning.”
Foreign hitter Lewin Diaz (28) of the Samsung Lions hit two foul homers in Game 3 of the playoffs against the LG Twins of the “2024 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League” at Jamsil Stadium on Sunday. All of them were big hits that hit the top of the outfield, but they didn’t make the homer as they missed the foul pole. Diaz also had deep regret. Diaz said he remembered a foul home run until the next morning.
He made a big hit that appalled LG starter Lim Chan-kyu from his first at-bat. As the leadoff hitter in the top of the second inning, Diaz hit a 127-km changeup on the second pitch that Im Chan-kyu threw to send the ball to the outfield. The ball flew towards the right fence, but it turned out to be a foul. Diaz, who returned to the batter’s box, was caught on a ground ball in front of the pitcher.
Then, he hit a foul home run again. With runners on first and one out in the top of the fourth inning, Diaz hit Lim Chan-kyu’s third pitch, a 126 km change-up. The ball, which floated high again this time, quickly hit the right fence. However, he missed the foul pole again this time. The initial decision was a foul. Samsung immediately asked for a video review, but the original ruling was not overturned. Diaz, who hit the foul home run, was caught by a fly ball to the right field.
Diaz, who hit two foul homers, did not have a single hit in the game. He thus had no hit in four times at bat. In the first playoff game held at Samsung Lions Park in Daegu, he had one hit, one homer, one walk, three RBIs and one run scored, while in the second playoff game, he had four hits, two homers and three RBIs and two runs from four times at bat, to post multiple homers. He hit homers in both games, leading Samsung to victory. Unlike Samsung Lions Park in Daegu, he had no homerun in Jamsil, a pitcher-friendly stadium.
With Game 4 of the playoffs scheduled to be held the following day (April 18) cancelled due to rain, Diaz told reporters, “I knew when I hit the first foul home run, it was a foul. However, I thought it could be a home run for the second time. I was not sure. The second foul home run was all the more regrettable for me,” expressing regret over the foul home run.
When reporters said that it could have been a home run if it had been in Daegu Samsung Lions Park, Diaz said, “My teammates said the same thing. I would have said, ‘If it were in Daegu, it would have been a hit.’ I kept saying that until this morning. If it were in Daegu, it would have been a home run, which is a shame.” He smiled disappointed.
Diaz boasts good batting performance in the post-season. In the 10 games he played just before the end of the regular season, Diaz only hit 0.205 (eight hits in 39 at-bats for two home runs), but he has recovered his performance in the playoffs. “I think every at-bat is important in short-term games like post-season games. That’s why I’m taking the batter’s box to get on base. I think the results come out better because I’m trying to help my team win 스포츠토토,” Diaz said.
This is the second time that the playoff has been canceled due to rain. Diaz said in no uncertain terms that the postponement won’t change much. “Even if rain is canceled, preparations are still the same. Still, as our players are young, I think we have gained time to recover mentally if we take a day off. All the rest are the same. I will prepare well and spend the day for tomorrow’s game,” Diaz said.
On how he felt about playing his first postseason game in Korea, he said, “Fans fill the stadium every game. That was the best part. I get encouraged by fans’ enthusiastic cheering. I am playing while enjoying cheering.”
He is also close to LG foreign pitcher Eliser Hernandez. Diaz and Hernandez have played for the Miami Marlins in the Major League before. “Hernandez is a really good pitcher. I’m playing for a different team now, but I knew he was a good pitcher as well. It would have been nice if he could have hit a home run against Hernandez. We are close outside the ballpark, but we have to fight on the ground. I want to hit a home run next time,” Diaz said, signaling an unyielding victory.
Lastly, Diaz said, “I will definitely win the fourth playoff game. I will play with the goal of finishing this series in the fourth playoff game. I will play hard.”
