If no variables arise, Peddie will be the first starter.”
NC Dinos won 7-6 in the third game of the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League postseason semi-playoff against SSG Landers held at NC Park in Changwon on the 25th.안전놀이터
NC won both the first and second games away to Incheon, and then won the third game at home, earning a ticket to the playoffs with three consecutive wins.
On this day, NC took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning thanks to Kwon Hee-dong’s 2 RBI hit and Seo Ho-cheol’s 1 RBI and timely double. However, SSG’s counterattack was also strong. In the top of the second inning, with two outs and the bases loaded, Guillermo Heredia scored an RBI with a walk. Then, Choi Jeong hit a grand slam home run.
NC, which had given up the lead, was in a situation where the atmosphere could have sagged. But there was a problem solver, Jason Martin. In the bottom of the second inning, with one out and runners on 1st and 2nd base, Park Geon-woo’s 1 RBI hit narrowed the gap to 1 point, and then Martin hit a 3-run home run. Afterwards, they were chased by Hanyu Island’s 1 RBI and timely double in the top of the 4th inning, but the bullpen consisting of Kim Young-gyu, Ryu Jin-wook, Lim Jeong-ho, and Lee Yong-chan maintained the victory by not allowing a single run.
NC Dinos coach Kang In-kwon expressed his feelings at the official press conference after the game, saying, “After scoring early on, there were difficulties as no additional runs were scored. The bullpen pitchers did their job well. We finished the semi-playoffs in a good mood.”
Manager Kang In-kwon had fun starting from Game 1 by using pinch hitters and bullpen pitchers at appropriate times. In particular, pinch hitter Kim Seong-wook was used in the top of the 8th inning of Game 1, and it led to a two-run home run in the first game. In this game, the bullpen was brought in at the right time to maintain the lead without giving up any runs.
Manager Kang In-kwon said, “The players did a good job. I chose it based on my own convictions. Luckily, it worked,” and added, “Due to Lee Jae-hak’s injury, he was a sure-to-win pitcher. Ryu Jin-wook also had a lot of pitches, so I thought Lim Jeong-ho should definitely pitch in the 8th inning. Yong-chan Lee “I felt like it was quick to put it up. I posted it because the bullpen coach said that Lim Jeong-ho is good at pitching in the bullpen,” he said.
Lee Jae-hak was hit on the hand by Oh Tae-gon’s hard hit in the top of the 5th inning. Lee Jae-hak, who complained of pain, even made a follow-up play and caught Oh Tae-gon at first base, but he could no longer throw. He immediately left the stadium and headed to the hospital. Coach Kang In-kwon said, “I haven’t received an accurate report on Lee Jae-hak. It doesn’t seem like a major injury, just a bruise.”
Coach Kang In-kwon showed his faith in Lee Yong-chan during this postseason. There were situations where Lee Yong-chan faltered, but this time, he was selected as the closing pitcher in a tight situation with a one-run gap. And Lee Yong-chan repaid his faith by ending the game with a three-way strike. Manager Kang In-kwon said, “Lee Yong-chan has found himself. He has become more relaxed on the mound. I expect him to pitch well in the future.”
NC planned to send out Eric Peddie as the starter for Game 4 if they lost Game 3. However, by finishing the semi-playoffs with three consecutive wins, Peddie was given time to recover more completely. If no problems arise, Peddie is expected to be the starter in the first round of the playoffs.
Manager Kang In-kwon said, “Choi Seong-young warmed up. Peddy was preparing for tomorrow. As of now, if no variables arise, I think Peddy will be able to play in the first game. He may feel a little lost, but there is time. Bullpen pitching. “I can do it once. It will be difficult in the beginning of the game, but I think it will be okay if I pitch one inning.”
NC defeated the Doosan Bears in the wild card game. Then, they achieved an ‘upset’ by winning 3 consecutive wins against SSG. The momentum has soared sky high. Coach Kang In-kwon said, “The players seemed to be in good spirits. They gained confidence. Both pitchers and hitters played well.”
On this day, starting pitcher Tanner Turley was shaken, allowing 4 runs in 2 innings. In the end, NC moved quickly and put Lee Jae-hak on the mound and then put in Pil Seung-jo.
Manager Kang In-kwon said, “Tanner had a difficult time today among the three games. I was worried. I thought about who should be the second pitcher and how to lead many innings. Jae-hak Lee pitched well, and Young-gyu Kim, Jin-wook Ryu, Jeong-ho Lim, and Lee Yong-chan also performed well and won the game. “The players’ physical and mental fatigue will be high. Now that we have had time to rest, we will have time to recharge and prepare well against the KT Wiz,” he said.NC will play the first round of the playoffs against KT at Suwon KT Wiz Park on the 30th. Coach Kang In-kwon said, “KT has a very solid starting lineup. I think we need to exclude two foreign pitchers and figure out how to bring in domestic starters.” He added, “Tanner has a high percentage of correct hits on breaking balls. There are some areas where he cannot command the command he wants to throw. “I’m embarrassed. I think I’ll overcome it if I find myself a little more,” he said.