Choi Seung-yong (22, Doosan Bears) made up for the sluggishness in the first game in his second start of the season. However, he finished pitching without a win or loss with 3 runs as he could not exceed two batters.
Choi Seung-yong started in the 2023 KBO League regular season home game against Kiwoom Heroes held at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on the 11th and recorded 6 hits (1 home run), 4 strikeouts and 3 runs in 5 2/3 innings.
Choi Seung-yong was selected as a candidate for the 5th starting pitcher from the last spring camp and demonstration game. Compared to other competitors, he showed a good performance in terms of pitch and game management, and was promoted to the 4th starter as Dylan Pyle left early in the season due to injury.스포츠토토
However, his first match was different from expectations. Choi Seung-yong made a start against the NC Dinos held in Jamsil on the 5th, and was greatly shaken with 8 runs in 1 and 2/3 innings. It was a more disappointing report card considering that Kim Dong-ju, who competed together as a candidate for the 5th starter, started with 6 scoreless innings.
His second appearance was different. Choi Seung-yong allowed only 2 hits (Edison Russell in the top of the 1st inning and Park Joo-hong in the top of the 6th inning) to 7 Kiwoom batters that day and led the innings stably. He efficiently led the game with 77 pitches when going down from a two-out situation in the sixth inning.
The problem was not 7 people, but 2 other people. On this day, Choi Seung-yong got a total of 4 hits (1 home run) from Kim Hye-sung and Kim Hwi-jip. All 3 runs came to the two of them.
The first episode was Kim Hye-sung’s work. Choi Seung-yong threw four straight fastballs to lead batter Kim Hye-seong in the beginning of the first inning and allowed a right-handed hit. Kim Hye-seong, who had 160 stolen bases in his career, was on base, so there was no way he could stay still. Kim Hye-seong stole second base when follow-up hitter Lee Hyung-jong hit 2 balls and 2 strikes at bat, and advanced to third base when Lee Hyung-jong withdrew with a fly ball in right field. When Lee Jung-hoo was at bat again, he took advantage of the second baseman’s ground ball and rushed home, scoring the first run. It was the work of Kim Hye-sung, made with one single hit and foot.
If Kim Hye-sung waved with his foot, Kim Hui-jip attacked Choi Seung-yong with a long hit. Choi Seung-yong blocked the first inning without any additional runs, but allowed a solo home run to Kim Hui-jip after two outs in the second inning. Kim Hui-jip, who had no hits this season, hit a 134 km/h slider with two pitches thrown by Choi Seung-yong, leading to a left-handed home run.
Choi Seung-yong was different from the last game despite conceding one after another. He didn’t waver any further, and continued to eat away at the innings. In the 3rd inning, Kim Hye-seong started with a knockout strikeout and recorded the first tripartite inning with two fly balls. In the 4th inning, Russell was caught with the help of shortstop Lee Yu-chan’s defense, and then Park Joo-hong was left fielder’s floating ball and Park Chan-hyeok’s looking strikeout. It is also impressive that he used all of his decision balls as breaking balls.
However, in the 5th episode, Kim Hwi-jip and Kim Hye-seong caught Choi Seung-yong’s ankle again. Choi Seung-yong struck out lead hitter Lee Ji-young with a forkball in the beginning of the 5th inning, but Kim Hui-jip hit a double in the middle left. If he hit the slider in the second inning, it was a curve this time, but Kim Hui-jip confidently hit it with a strong hit. Choi Seung-yong took a breather by catching Kim Soo-hwan, but eventually threw a slider at 132 km/h in the first pitch at Kim Hye-seong, and scored a 3-run hit in the middle right.
Still, there was a sense of stability. Choi Seung-yong calmly finished the 5th inning even after conceding a run, and went to the mound in the 6th inning as well. After a 7-ball game with the most threatening batsman Lee Jung-hoo, he induced a fly ball with a high-speed ball at 142 km per hour, and Russell also threw two fastballs and turned them into center fielder fly balls.
Choi Seung-yong, who caught the two center batters, allowed a hit to Park Ju-hong, the follow-up hitter, and finished the day’s pitching by passing the mound to Park Chi-guk.