It is the first time since Koo Ja-wook. The Samsung Lions have developed a batter with 20 home runs.
Kim Young-woong, in his third year, is the main character.
In an away game against the LG Twins at Jamsil Stadium on Thursday, Kim hit a come-from-behind two-run shot, and immediately fired a solo shot to hit a back-to-back home run. This became his 20th home run this season.
Kim started at No. 5-3 and recorded one hit, one RBI and three strikeouts from five times at bat. One hit was a home run.
I hit a meaningful home run when I needed it.
Kim Young-woong, who met LG left-handed starter Detrick Ens, struck out in his first at-bat in the top of the second inning, but paid back with a home run in the top of the fourth inning.
At the top of the fourth inning when the team was losing 0-1, Kang Min-ho fired a come-from-behind two-run shot over the left fence. While Kang’s come-from-behind home run was still in the air, Kim Young-woong hit the first pitch of ENS to hit the ball over the right fence.
The 137km cutter entered the strike zone high in the middle, and Kim Young-woong did not miss it and hit it properly to make it a home run.
It was 3-1 instead of 2-1, allowing him to throw starting corner Seabold in a more comfortable state.
Unfortunately, he failed to add a hit due to two strikeouts and an infield grounder.
This is his 20th home run since his debut. It means a lot to Samsung as well as Kim Young-woong.
This is because Kim Young-woong is the first prospect who joined Samsung since Koo Ja-wook to achieve 20 home runs.
Samsung was a team of hitting players. During the reign of Samsung, Choi Hyung-woo, Park Seok-min and Lee Seung-yeop easily topped 20 home runs to lead the team to victory. However, as they moved to the FA and retired, the team naturally weakened.
In 2017, Koo Ja-wook hit 21 home runs for the first time, surpassing the 20-homer mark. Kang Min-ho and Oh Jae-il, who came as FA afterwards, and Kim Dong-yeop, who came as a trade, hit more than 20 home runs, but none of the prospects selected by Samsung showed a long-shot power.
It was different this season, however. Along with Koo Ja-wook, Kim Young-woong fired a home run from the beginning, and Lee Sung-kyu, a rising star, also connected a ball from a first-tier pitcher with a home run this year. As three Korean batters, including Koo Ja-wook, Kim Young-woong, and Lee Sung-kyu, showed off their slugging capabilities, Samsung was able to change its color to a team of strong offense. In addition, “homeless veteran” Kang Min-ho and third-year player Lee Jae-hyun also made double-digit home runs, transforming Samsung into a new home run corps.
Koo Ja-wook hit 20 home runs first, and Kim Young-woong reached 20 home runs for the second time. Lee Sung-kyu also hit his 18th home run with a solo shot in the top of the eighth inning. If he hits two more, he will reach the 20th home run mark for the first time since his debut.
Kim Young-woong said after the game, “I had a high ball in mind because the opposing pitcher kept using high balls. The slider (cutter) came in and fortunately, I think I hit it well,” adding, “I don’t care about the number of home runs, and I try not to be greedy at bat as much as possible. Rather than 20 home runs in the season, I liked hitting the home runs that the team needed in 2-1 today, and I always had consecutive home runs cut off at my plate, but it was good to be able to hit after Minho’s home run today.”
Kim Young-woong said, “As I gain experience in every game, my thoughts change. The more I play the game 스포츠토토, the more I feel like I should study more every day,” showing his attitude to learn even though he hit 20 home runs.
