Many baseball fans are enthusiastic about the home steal of KIA Tigers Kim Kyu-seong (26). It’s all the more so because it’s a play that rarely comes out during a game.
The match between LG Twins and KIA Tigers was held at Jamsil Stadium on the 29th. On this day, all 23,750 seats at Jamsil Stadium were sold out, boasting a hot atmosphere. A passionate cheering match was held between the fans of both teams, reminiscent of fall baseball.
In the top of the ninth inning, KIA was leading 5-3. KIA took the opportunity to load the bases with two runs by combining the consecutive hits of lead batters Kim Seon-bin and Choi Hyung-woo and Socrates’ walk. The pitcher on the LG mound is Ham Deok-joo, who took the mound after two outs in the 8th inning.
The match continued with catcher Han Seung-taek. The voices of KIA fans singing Han Seung-taek’s cheering song grew louder. Following the foul on the first pitch, the second pitch is a ball. On the 3rd pitch, there was a miss. The cheers of KIA fans still covered Jamsil Stadium. And when Ham Deok-joo entered the set position to throw the 4th pitch, Kim Gyu-seong, who was the third base runner, suddenly started running toward home.
A call came out from the LG Dugout that a runner was running home, but it was overshadowed by the tremendous shouts of KIA fans. Ham Deok-joo and Park Dong-won’s battery, who belatedly noticed Kim Kyu-sung’s home steal. Still, Ham Deok-joo threw the ball home without committing a balk. However, the pitch hit Kim Kyu-sung’s stomach and fell backwards.
It was no exaggeration to say that the moment Ham Deok-joo’s hand fell off the ball, Kim Kyu-seong was in fact on the verge of sweeping the home. At the same time, KIA’s first and second base runners started running toward second and third base respectively. The results were all safe. KIA fans were swept up in a crucible of enthusiasm.
Initially, Kim Kyu-sung’s home steal seemed to be recognized as the first of this season, the 40th in KBO history, and the 5th record for the KIA club. However, the official record was finally confirmed as ‘triple steal (triple steal)’, not a single home steal. 토토사이트
The KBO (Korea Baseball Organization) referees who supervised the game said, “(Ham Deok-ju’s pitch) was judged as a ball because the pitcher’s pitch hit the third base runner from the ball position, and the rest of the runners advanced one base at a time and reached third base. I admit the runner’s score,” he explained. In other words, while Han Seung-taek’s ball count went from 1-2 to 2-2, the runners all ran before Ham Deok-joo’s pitch, and it was finally recognized as a triple steal, not a single home steal.
A triple steal is a rare record. Prior to this game, he had only appeared 6 times in the KBO league. Previously, June 24, 1983 Lotte (Gudeok Haitai 5th episode), June 26, 1988 Binggrae (Daejeon MBC 2nd episode), August 14, 1990 Binggrae (Sajik Lotte DH 2nd round 3rd episode), 1994 It happened only six times, including Ssangbangwool on April 10 (5 in Jamsil OB), Nexen on July 5, 2013 (8 in Mokdong LG), and LG on July 16, 2014 (6 in Jamsil Samsung). And this time, KIA recorded the first triple steal in the history of the club and the 7th in the 42-year history of the KBO League.
Kim Kyu-seong, who met with the reporters after the game, said, “I was able to lead a lot because the opponent (LG) third baseman (Moon Bo-gyeong) was far behind. Note). Also, the cheers were loud. Coach Jae-Young Cho, the third base runner, told me about the pitcher’s habits. He also said that it would be hard to hear LG’s call play because of the loud cheers. I could run,” he said. As a result, it was a joint product created by the cheers of KIA fans and the ability of Coach Jae-Young Cho. Of course, it was a triple steal that was possible thanks to Kim Kyu-sung’s quick feet before that.
The head coach also praised both players and coaches. KIA coach Kim Jong-guk applauded, saying, “In a situation where we were pursued by two points, coach Jae-young Cho and Kyu-seong Kim, the third base runner, exchanged autographs and made a decisive home steal. The bold strategy worked well.” Now, KIA will challenge its first sweep win this season in the third game of the series with LG, which will be held at the same place on the 30th at 2:00 pm.