The concerns turned out to be a reality.
The KIA Tigers had a poor batting performance in the first game of the 2024 Korean Series held at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field on Sunday. While trailing 0-1, the game was suspended due to heavy rain in the top of the sixth inning, and the team declared its first suspended game in the history of the postseason. The rest of the games will be played at the same venue at 4 p.m. on Tuesday.
Kia has set up its starting lineup of Park Chan-ho (striker), Socrates (left fielder), Kim Do-young (third baseman), Choi Hyung-woo (designated hitter), Na Sung-bum (right fielder), Kim Sun-bin (second baseman), Choi Won-joon (middle fielder), Kim Tae-gun (possession) and Seo Geon-chang (first baseman). The team has appointed Seo Geon-chang as first baseman, not Lee Woo-seong. “Woo-seong was not in a good condition. He has experience and good performance on small plays,” Lee said.
Attention was paid to whether Kia’s batters would be able to increase their scoring capacity against Samsung’s starting pitcher Won Tae-in, who has won more than 15 games. The result was abysmal. In the first inning, he was out after three outs. In the second inning, Kim Seon-bin hit a homerun-like hit to the left-center field and even performed a ceremony, but the hit bounced back to the ground after being hit by barbed wire.
In the third inning, Kim Tae-gun got on base with left-handed hits and Seo Geon-chang hit a bunt to send to get on base, giving him a chance to get on base with one out and second base, but he struck out Park Chan-ho and was out with a fly ball to Socrates second base. In the fourth inning, there was no luck. The leadoff batter Kim Do-young got on base with a walk, but it was difficult to get on base with fast checks and the ground getting wet. Choi Hyung-woo’s shortstop fly ball, Na Sung-bum, struck out, and Kim Sun-bin got a walk. Choi Won-joon’s hit ball was caught by Won Tae-in’s defense.
He also had three outs in the fifth inning, recording his fifth Young’s number. Table setters and center hitters were not good enough. He seemed to lack the sense of play in the three-week training camp to prepare for the Korean Series. Won’s pitching was also good, for sure. At the end of the preparatory training camp, Choi said, “If the batting performance is not good, the first and second rounds can move on quickly. I am nervous about the first round. We need to increase the batting performance quickly.” In other words, his concern has become reality. 스포츠토토
Coach Lee Bum-ho said before the game, “I think it will be difficult to play in the first round. I thought that if Won Tae-in did not start in the first round after reaching the fifth round of the playoffs, our offense would be able to move more actively, but the opponent team’s ace will play in the first round. I think it will be advantageous to score a little or two points each at the time when we need to score points. I think batters have perfectly prepared well through practice matches and live batting. How the first and second batters perform is important. Overall, his condition is 80 to 90 percent better.”
The game started with a 66-minute delay due to the fall season, and the atmosphere was chaotic due to continuous rain during the game. Tension in the first game also played a role. He has four chances to attack in individual suspended games at 4 p.m. on Tuesday. As he has enjoyed the atmosphere on the first day, he may be able to make normal hitting on the second day. As Won Tae-in is unable to take the mound for two consecutive days, attention is focusing on whether he will take a clue against Samsung’s new pitcher.
