Doosan met its fifth-ranked rival KIA at home on the 6th and was completely defeated 1-7. Jung Soo-bin, Kim Jae-ho, Jose Rojas, Yang Eui-ji, Yang Seok-hwan, Kim Jae-hwan, Kang Seung-ho, Huh Kyung-min, and Jo Ha-haeng only scored three hits until six innings against KIA starter Thomas Panoni. Kwak Bin met the “All New KIA” lineup and was shocked by three innings. Kwak Bin was quite strong with two wins and a 1.59 ERA in two games against KIA this season.
Doosan, which once threatened the second place with 11 consecutive wins, the most in the club, and continued to compete for the semifinals by maintaining a 50% winning rate despite Yang Eui-ji’s injury. However, as the ranking fight was headed for a gradual decline, it fell into a slump of 1 win and 5 losses in the last 6 games, and the gap with fifth-ranked KIA has already widened to 4 games. The winning rate collapsed to 50% in 17 days after the match against NC in Jamsil on August 20. Even if he wins against KIA in Jamsil on the 7th, he will win three games. There is still a long way to go to board the last train of autumn baseball.
In particular, the defeat of the previous day came as a shock of more than one loss. The cancellation of rain on the 5th allowed the KIA series to start with Kwak Bin, who is strong against the Tigers, but failed to withstand the firepower of KIA, which has been running at the top of the team’s batting average since August. Kwak Bin’s strong performance against KIA was in the absence of Na Sung-bum and Kim Do-young. Starting with a first two-run shot dedicated to Na Sung-bum in the third inning, Park Chan-ho’s one-run timely hit in the fourth inning and Kim Do-young’s two-run home run were allowed one after another, failing to last the fourth inning. It was the moment when Doosan’s most trusted native ace collapsed. 스포츠토토
On the 7th, Doosan will escape its second straight game with Choi Won-joon, who was in charge of the native ace before Kwak Bin. Choi Won-joon’s season record was 2 wins, 9 losses, and a 5.34 ERA in 21 games, and he took an 11-day break after taking the mound as a relief pitcher against SSG in Jamsil on August 26, recording no runs in ⅔ innings.
Choi Won-joon’s start came 25 days after the match against Hanwha in Daejeon on August 13. At that time, he was substituted early with four runs in 1 2⅓ innings and had a bitter taste of relegation from the bullpen, and since then, he has played four games as a relief and raised his sense with a 1.69 ERA without losing. Choi Won-joon took the mound once against KIA this year, and only allowed five runs in five innings in Gwangju on April 8. Until last year, he was known as a tiger hunter with two wins and an undefeated ERA of 2.83 in 12 games (7 starts) against KIA, but it remains to be seen whether he will stop the KIA lineup, which has been winning nine consecutive games. Choi Won-joon is in second place (9 losses) with the most losses in the league, spending his career low season this year.
On the contrary, KIA has been exuding tremendous tiger energy since August. After KT, which achieved a miraculous rebound, he is ranked second in the winning rate (17 wins, 1 draw, and 8 losses) and boasts the only batting average in the league in the .300 range (317) team. KIA also occupies the top spot in various indicators, including team score (187 points), OPS (.848) first place, and joint second place (22 home runs). The scoring average is also .383.
To make matters worse, Doosan will face KIA ace Yang Hyun-jong on the day. Yang Hyun-jong’s season record is 7 wins, 7 losses, and a 4.06 ERA in 21 games, and he became a winning pitcher with seven scoreless innings against the Incheon SSG on the 1st, when he recently took the mound. It is a good situation with two consecutive wins and quality starts. Against Doosan this year, he only allowed four runs (two earned runs) in 5⅓3 innings in Jamsil on May 14.
Doosan is in absolute inferiority in terms of objective power in both pitching and hitting. Doosan is also behind in the recent momentum fight. Even though it was a home game the previous day, he was overwhelmed by the overwhelming number of spectators and support from KIA away fans. “Miracle Doosan” seems to be needed to catch Yang Hyun-jong with Choi Won-joon.