SSG’s batting lineup has been perceived to be weak in close games this season. The team doesn’t have a high batting average in the first place, and their home runs are not as powerful as they used to be. In addition, the pinch-hitters in each game were not very exciting. We didn’t have that one big hit that could change the tide of a game. It was also a reason for the lack of impact.
In fact, SSG’s pinch-hit batting average was dead last in the league. It was an anomaly, perhaps even outside the normal range. Until July 12, the team with the highest pinch-hitting success rate in the league was NC at .302. They were followed by Kia (.295), LG (.286), Doosan (.274), Lotte (.241), Hanwha (.225), Samsung (.222), KT (.222), and Kiwoom (.216). SSG, however, only had a 0.113 pinch-hit success rate this year, which is too low even for them. Probability-wise, it’s hard to see how this could have happened.
But against KIA at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field on Wednesday, the bats saved the day. SSG jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the third inning thanks to a solo home run by Choi Ji-hoon, a two-run homer by Choi Jeong, and a bases-clearing blast in the fifth inning. However, after giving up four runs in the fifth inning, they gave up five runs, including a grand slam to Socrates in the sixth inning, to lose the game 7-9.
With their bullpen already depleted, a loss would literally cost them more than one run. But SSG didn’t give up. They bounced back with a five-run seventh inning to make it 12-9 and then went on to win 15-9. After a 14-6 victory the day before, the offense came alive with 29 runs in two days.
Trailing 7-9 in the top of the seventh, Choi drew a walk. Heredia followed with a single up the middle to put runners on first and second. Jang Hyun-sik, the Kia closer, was faltering. SSG then brought in Choo Shin-soo to pinch-hit for Go Myung-joon. Shin-soo Choo, who had been feeling good the day before with two hits, one walk, and two RBIs, was left out of the lineup and was waiting in the wings.
Shin-Soo Choo hasn’t had a hit as a pinch-hitter this year. On top of that, his bat has been particularly ineffective in scoring position. That’s why he hasn’t been 안전놀이터 able to make an impact this season, even though he has a .385 on-base percentage. However, Choo Shin-soo, who has been hitting well of late, saw two pitches from Jang Hyun-sik before taking a four-pitch 150-kilometer fastball in the 2B-1S for a timely double to left-center field. Choi scored from second and Heredia went to third. With one out, runners were on second and third with no outs.
Before Shin-Soo Choo’s at-bat, SSG had a 34.1% chance of winning the game, but after Shin-Soo Choo’s hit, their chance of winning increased to 56.5%. It was over 50% because they had runners on second and third with one out.
The next play highlighted the team’s chemistry. Lee Ji-young laid down a surprise bunt toward the pitcher in the first inning, and Heredia, the third baseman, ran home. Jang Hyun-sik caught the ball and threw home, but Heredia’s feet swept home first. Kia requested a video review, but it was not overturned.
There was no sign from the bench: Lee Ji-young and Heredia at third base coordinated to make a safety squeeze. After the bunt, the third baseman has to look at the situation and decide whether to run home or stay at third base, and Heredia made a good decision and made a good slide.
Lee then pulled out another substitute, Han Yoo-seom, to bat for Ha Jae-hoon. Han was originally scheduled to start the game, but his Achilles tendon was not feeling well, so he waited on the bench. Han Yoo-seom came to the plate and led off the game with a single to right. The two substitutes and the team’s coordination between players led to a five-run seventh inning that brought SSG back to life. SSG then added three more runs in the ninth inning to win the game 15-9, as Noh pitched a two-hit shutout.
After the game, Coach Lee said, “We got a tough game thanks to the active and persistent offense of our bats. The hitters made four big innings today, and I especially want to praise the batters for coming back from a deficit in the top of the seventh inning. Shin Soo, Yoo Seom, and Ji Young-i showed their veteran strength,” said Lee, “and Kyung Eun-i’s two innings of relief played a big role in securing the win. I want to praise Kyung-eun for doing her job 200% today, even in a tough and difficult situation, and I think she is an example for the younger players.”
Han Yoo-seom said, “I was able to bat in a more relaxed situation because we regained the lead. “After the big inning, we gave up a lot of runs and the mood changed, but the players didn’t give up and stuck together with a can-do attitude, which led to the big inning again. It was also a big help that Kyung-eun (Noh) pitched a good multi-inning inning. I was disappointed that I kept getting hit by good pitches lately, but I didn’t dwell on it and kept preparing for the game, and the good pitches came out today. I will continue to play the second half of the season with this mindset.”