카지노사이트Samsung snapped a four-game losing streak with a one-run, 2-1 victory over the Hanwha Eagles in the 11th game of the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League at Samsung Lions Park in Daegu on 2 February.
Starting on the mound, Won Tae-in pitched six innings of four-hit ball, striking out six and walking one to earn his fifth win of the season, ending Hanwha’s bid for a ninth straight victory.
Won gave up a run in the top of the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Jung Eun-won with runners on first and second, then pitched six innings without allowing another run. He completely shut down a Hanwha batting lineup that had scored double-digit runs the day before.
After the game, Won said, “I prepare for the game with the same mindset whether I’m on a losing streak or a winning streak, but I wanted to create a turning point myself because the team atmosphere is not good, and I told (Kang) Min-ho-hyung and the coaches, ‘I’ll break the losing streak,’ so I tried to take a lot of responsibility for myself, so I think I pitched well.”
“I went to the mound with the idea of not giving up a run because we weren’t scoring, so we had to have a two-hitter to balance the score,” he said. “I didn’t feel good about giving up a run in the second inning, but Min Ho-hyung hit a home run to follow it up, so I was able to calm down on the mound and pitch like it was 0-0,” he said.
From the fourth inning onwards, the score remained the same until the end of the game as neither team scored. The pitchers did a great job, but the bats didn’t score enough runs, so Samsung couldn’t relax until the last out in the top of the ninth.
“As usual, I had to trust the bullpen, and I trusted them. After I finished (pitching), I was in the treatment room as per my routine, and (the pitchers) were doing a good job, and (Kim) Hyun-jun was able to save one run with his good defence, so I want to thank the bullpen, Hyun-jun, and all the players,” Won said, expressing his trust in the pitchers and his teammates.
When Oh Seung-hwan’s save ended the game, all the players expressed their joy, and Won Tae-in was no different.
“I told the players not to stress too much and not to be too heartbroken after losing one game because the manager and the players are not in a good two-hit balance, and I think they all felt the same way. It was a weekend series and we were at home and we didn’t want to get swept, and of course we wanted to win in front of our home fans, so we were all happy when it was over,” he breathed a sigh of relief.
In fact, Won had to take the mound in a number of ‘bad conditions’. On top of the pressure of the team’s losing streak, he had to prepare for the game in “steaming heat” that exceeded 30 degrees Celsius, and he had only four days of rest after throwing 98 pitches in eight innings against the Sasik Lotte Giants on the 27th of last month.
“Honestly, it was a lot of hard work, and I couldn’t adapt to the suddenly hot weather, but my coach told me not to throw too hard and to use my changeup, and that I could beat the heat if I played the game with the idea of adjusting,” Won said. “I listened to (my coach’s advice), and I was able to go in and adjust my pitches rather than just throwing too hard, and I was able to get through it.”
There was a moment that stood out as much as the pitching. It happened just after the top of the sixth inning. When Won Tae-in got Moon Hyun-bin to ground out to second base to end the inning, many fans in the third base bleachers chanted his name.
After removing his hat and bowing to the home fans, Won said, “Despite my poor performance, I wanted to pitch better because so many people came to see me yesterday and today. I was also grateful for the cheers on the way down, so I think I greeted the fans as a way to repay their gratitude,” he explained.
Won said, “It’s so nice (to hear the fans cheering). Honestly, I think that’s why I’m playing baseball. I feel like I’ve been throwing really hard lately just to hear them chant my name when I’ve pitched well, so when I’ve pitched well and come down, I feel a little bit proud of myself,” he said.
“I think we can bounce back at any time,” he said, emphasising his responsibility, “and now that (Koo) Jae-hyung is joining us, we’ll have a little more structure, so I think we’ll be able to bounce back as long as the pitchers have a little more energy.”