The early lead was never broken. The KT Wiz’s bullpen showed off its strength.
KT won the fifth game of the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League against the Samsung Lions 5-2 at Samsung Lions Park in Daegu on the 27th, extending their winning streak to four games and securing the best-of-seven series.
The offence was led by Kim Sang-soo, who had a three-hit game against his hometown team, while Park Byung-ho, Jang Sung-woo and Oh Yoon-seok also contributed with multi-hit performances. Starter Wes Benjamin picked up his sixth win of the season with five innings of four-hit ball, walking two and striking out three.
KT chipped away at the score early in the game, and Benjamin turned the mound over to the bullpen with his team leading 5-2. The bullpen put together a no-hit relay, much like the previous day, to end Samsung’s hopes of a comeback.메이저사이트
Like the game on the 26th, no pitcher went more than two innings. Instead, Lee opted to give four pitchers one inning each.
The first to be called upon by the coaching staff was Kim Min-soo, who returned from injury. After being added to the first-team roster on the 24th against the Suwon Kiwoom Heroes, Min-soo pitched back-to-back games against Samsung on the 26th, striking out the centre-field line-up of Jose Pirela, Kang Min-ho, and Jae-il for a triple. He was determined not to allow the opposition to catch up.
In the bottom of the seventh, third pitcher Lee Chae-ho retired Ahn Joo-hyung, Lee Jae-hyun, and Kim Hyun-joon on a strikeout, fly ball, and ground ball, and in the top of the eighth, fourth pitcher Joo Kwon also retired the side without allowing a run. With Samsung unable to score any runs, the game was gradually sliding towards KT.
It was Son Dong-hyun who took charge in the final inning. After Pirela’s infield single and Kang Min-ho’s grounder to shortstop loaded the bases, he struck out Oh Jae-il to end the inning. It was the first time since his professional debut that Son Dong-hyun, who has primarily served as a set-up man, had recorded a save.
The KT mound was not at 100 per cent strength until earlier this month. However, Joo and Kim Min-soo, who had been sidelined with injuries, started their comebacks, and other pitchers such as Park Young-hyun and Son Dong-hyun also contributed.
Since the end of last month, the pieces of the puzzle have been coming together just as Lee Kang-chul, who had been waiting for the return of the injured players, had hoped. The bullpen alone is nearing completion. Although left-hander Cho Hyun-woo was removed from the first-team roster on the 24th due to a bad right ankle, the KT bullpen has definitely gained some breathing room compared to the beginning of the season.