It was a scene that could have left anyone with two choices. In the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 2 of the playoffs in Suwon on April 31, with KT trailing 3-2, Jang Jang-woo came to the plate with the bases loaded. He could have laid down a sacrifice bunt to put runners on first and second with a chance to tie the game, or he could have gone for a hard hit. Considering Jang Sung-woo is a hitter with basic contact ability and a “one-hitter,” the latter seemed a bit more likely.
However, as soon as the NC mounder Lee Yong-chan threw the first pitch, Lee Sang-ho, the leadoff hitter, stole second base. That’s when Jang Sung-woo came to bat. It was a so-called “hit-and-run.
In a normal defense, it would have been an ordinary second baseman’s grounder, but second baseman Park Min-woo saw the runner running and was caught in the middle of a dynamic play. The ball hit Park’s glove and sailed into the right-field corner. In an instant, it was 1-3 with no outs.
It looked like the game could be tied at least once. KT manager Lee Kang-chul’s tactical baseball was about to shine brightly.
However, the next batter, Moon Sang-chul, bunted the second pitch after the first pitch was fouled off the third base foul line, causing the KT bench to get a little steamed. It wasn’t immediately clear whether the squeeze was in effect, but the third baseman hadn’t left beforehand. The bunt failed, and Moon, down to two strikes, swung wildly at a third-pitch forkball and struck out.
With the bases loaded, it’s no secret that the outcome of the first batter can have a huge impact on the entire game. After Moon Sang-chul failed to 토토 bring in the third baseman, KT was under pressure as the bases were loaded and Kim Jun-tae struck out to end the threat. KT recorded the third out of the inning without scoring, thanks to a super catch by NC shortstop Kim Joo-won.
The two scenes seemed to be the work of the KT bench. The fate of the hot ninth inning was also decided by two scenes.