LG Twins manager Youm Kyoung-youb decided to stick to the same lineup for the second game of his postseason series against the KT Wiz on Sunday, after hinting at changes in light of a narrow loss the previous day.
LG Twins players react to their 3-2 loss to the KT Wiz in Game 1 of the first round in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Oct. 5, 2024. (Yonhap)
LG Twins players react to their 3-2 loss to the KT Wiz in Game 1 of the first round in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Oct. 5, 2024. (Yonhap)
The Twins fell to the Wiz 3-2 after generating only five hits in Game 1 of the first round of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) postseason at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. No. 2 hitter Shin Min-jae had two hits and drew a walk. Hitters batting sixth to ninth in the lineup, though, went 0-for-13 combined with two strikeouts, after Youm stressed the importance of production from the bottom of the lineup.
Youm ul
timately chose to give the same unit another shot.
“I would have made changes if any one guy really stood out, but I think everyone is pretty much the same,” Youm said in his pregame press conference at Jamsil. “I think this is the most explosive line for us if things click.”
The Twins will have a couple of 100-RBI men, Austin Dean and Moon Bo-gyeong, bat third and fourth.
The Wiz made a couple of changes. Veteran second baseman Kim Sang-su will draw back into the starting lineup after missing time with a finger injury. Slumping third baseman Hwang Jae-gyun, who is 0-for-9 in three postseason games so far, moved down from seventh to eighth in the batting order.
KT Wiz manager Lee Kang-chul (C) high-fives closer Park Yeong-hyun after his team’s 3-2 win over the LG Twins in Game 1 of the first round in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Oct. 5, 2024. (Yonhap)
KT Wiz manager Lee Kang-chul (C) high-fives closer Park Yeong-hyun after his team’s 3-2 win over the L
G Twins in Game 1 of the first round in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Oct. 5, 2024. (Yonhap)
Among Wiz position players, Kim has played in the third-most postseason games with 44. He has also had success against the Twins starter for Sunday, Im Chan-kyu, having batted 5-for-10 with a double over the past two regular seasons.
“We knew all along Sang-su would be ready for this game,” Lee said. “We told him yesterday to get ready for this game.”
Kim said he had tried his best to be the dugout cheerleader for his team and with his team working on a seven-game winning streak, dating to the end of the regular season, he wants to keep the good vibes going.
“It’s been a couple of weeks since I last hit. But I felt pretty good in the cage and I am going to be aggressive,” Kim said. “My finger is still hurting a bit but I can play. So I won’t let that get in the way.”
As for his good history against Im, Kim said, “I hope I can have a positive influence on the tea
m. We’ve been playing so well lately and I don’t want to ruin anything.”
Source: Yonhap News Agency