The No. 1 target, Na Seong-beom, had a perfect shutout, but an even scarier hitter was right behind him. It was KIA veteran Choi Hyung-woo, who hit two home runs against SSG starter Kim Kwang-hyun.

‘I’m scared, be gentle today’ SSG starting pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun teased KIA’s Na Sung-bum, who was warming up on the field before taking the mound in the first inning.

After swinging a hot bat the previous day with four hits, including a home run, three RBIs and three runs scored in five at-bats, Na Sung-bum was Kim Kwang-hyun’s No. 1 target. The two grew close while playing together on the national team. Kim Kwang-hyun repeatedly gestured to his younger brother, Na Sung-beom, to hit him gently. It was a joke, but he meant it.

On the first day of a three-game midweek series, the KIA Tigers bats exploded. They pounded the SSG mound for 17 runs on 17 hits and nine walks. SSG ace Kim Kwang-hyun’s shoulders were even heavier as he took the mound to avenge the previous day’s loss.

KIA also sent ace Yang Hyun-jong to the mound to continue their winning streak. The two pitchers had previously faced off on May 9 in Gwangju. Back then, Yang Hyun-jong pitched eight innings of six-hit ball with one walk and 10 strikeouts. On the other hand, Kim Kwang-hyun took the loss, giving up three runs on six hits, two walks, and six strikeouts in six innings.메이저놀이터

South Korean left-handed aces Kim Kwang-hyun and Yang Hyun-jong faced off for the second time this season at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on Saturday. All eyes were on the ace matchup before the game started, but the real star of the show was the Tigers’ best pitcher, Choi Hyung-woo.

Based on the names of the two pitchers, Kim Kwang-hyun and Yang Hyun-jong, it was expected to be a pitching battle. However, it turned out differently. Yang Hyeon-jong, the KIA starter, gave up an early run to SSG in the first inning, but was able to keep the game scoreless until the fifth inning. Kim Kwang-hyun, on the other hand, faltered in the second inning after giving up a leadoff single to Choi Hyung-woo.

Until the fifth inning, Na Sung-bum, the No. 1 hitter on alert, managed to get all three batters back to the plate, but it was Choi Hyung-woo who held Kim Kwang-hyun back. Kim Kwang-hyun wanted to take charge until the fifth inning. Choi Hyung-woo came to the plate as the leadoff hitter and hit another solo shot, making it two home runs off Kwang-hyun on the day.

After reaching 100 pitches, Kim eventually walked the next batter, Hwang Dae-in, to end the fifth inning.

Choi had been silent the previous day with two hits and three strikeouts. He led the KIA Tigers to back-to-back wins with two blistering home runs against one of South Korea’s top pitchers, Kim Kwang-hyun.