Mok Ji-hoon, a rookie pitcher of the NC Dinos in professional baseball, was replaced without completing the third inning.
In the game between NC and LG held at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on Tuesday, Mok Ji-hoon, who is in his second year as a starting pitcher of NC, took the mound and allowed seven hits, two walks and five runs during two ⅓ innings, becoming the losing pitcher.
He threw a maximum speed of 151 kilometers per fastball, but his ball control was disappointing. He threw 14 fastballs, 20 two-seam throws, 12 sliders, five curves, and five change-ups.
“The number of pitches will vary depending on the situation of the game. We have to wait and see if (the replacement) will be in the early or mid-season,” NC manager Kang In-kwon said of Mok Ji-hoon before the game. “Choi Sung-young will prepare for the second pitcher for now.” 스포츠토토
LG hit Mok Ji-hoon in the bottom of the first inning. Leading hitter Hong Chang-ki got on base with a pitch that hit his body against the spike at a full count. Shin hit a double that fell on the left-handed line, creating chances for runners on the second and third bases with no outs.
Austin, who had two two-run homeruns in the first inning alone the previous day, hit a two-run double off Mok Ji-hoon that fell to the right side. Moon Bo-kyung hit a timely hit on Mok’s first pitch, bringing the runner on second base home. The team led 3-0.
Oh Ji-hwan was out with a foul fly to the third baseman in the full count. Kim Hyun-soo hit a right-handed hit to re-create a chance with one out and runners on the first and second bases. Then NC pitching coach Kim Soo-kyung visited the mound once and went down.
Park Hae-min hit a ball to the right-center, but was caught out by right field. Koo Bon-hyuk’s ball was missed by the third baseman while trying to catch it with a backhand on board. The record became an infield hit. With the bases loaded with two outs, Heo Do-hwan was out with a fly ball to center field, ending the attack.
Mok Ji-hoon stopped the game without allowing a run in the second inning. He caught leadoff hitter Hong Chang-ki out with a fly ball to the center field, and allowed Shin Min-jae to hit to the right. He grounded out Austin to the third base with one out. At this time, he ran to the third base while first baseman Shin Min-jae stepped on the second base and threw the ball to the first base, but the first baseman and shortstop were tagged out.
Mok Ji-hoon grounded out Moon Bo-kyung, the leadoff batter, to second in the third inning. However, he walked Oh Ji-hwan and allowed a double over the height of the left field to Kim. With runners on the second and third bases with one out, pitcher coach Kim Soo-kyung took the mound and replaced the pitcher. Kim Min-kyu came up as the second pitcher.
Park Hae-min’s sacrifice fly scored the third baseman. Then, Koo Bon-hyuk’s timely hit to the second baseman, and Mok Ji-hoon’s run became five points.
Mok Ji-hoon had a relationship in 2011 when he was a first grader in elementary school and filmed a commercial for a hot chocolate product with former coach Kim Sung-geun. He joined the team after receiving NC’s nomination as the 34th overall in the fourth round of the rookie draft last year. This year, he recorded one win, four losses and an ERA of 2.65 in 14 games in the Futures League. Mok Ji-hoon made his professional debut against KT on the 4th and allowed four runs in three ⅔ innings.
