The streak of zeroes continued into the sixth inning. In the seventh inning, the opposing team had a left-handed pitcher on the mound.
But the Lotte Giants had Yoo Kang-nam. In the top of the seventh inning against Gochuk Kiwoom on the 27th, with runners on first and second, Yoo Kang-nam took a pitch from Kiwoom’s Kim Jae-woong and smashed an RBI double to right-center field. It was his final hit of the day and the game-winning hit.
Lotte has been particularly weak against left-handed pitchers this year. As the battle for the top spot intensifies, it’s likely that Lotte will have to adjust their rotation to include a lefty in the lineup, or struggle against a team with a lefty-heavy lineup like SSG KIA.
Not only the left-handed hitters who make up the mainstay of the batting lineup, such as Ahn Kwon-soo, No Jin-hyuk, and Rex Go Seung-min, but also the right-handed hitters, such as Jeon Jun-woo and Ahn Chi-hong, were not doing well. Shin Yun-hoon and Jeong Hoon, who are usually used as left-handed snipers, also struggled.
Kiwoom struggles to climb out of the bottom of the standings. Kiwoom coach Hong Won-ki said he is flexible with his closer, Kim Jae-woong. If necessary, he would pitch the seventh or eighth inning to save the most important situations.
On this day, Kim Jae-woong took the mound in the seventh inning. He struck out Yoon Dong-hee, but gave up a single to Noh Jin-hyuk to put runners on first and second. This is where he faced Yoo Kang-nam.
Yoo’s batting average this season is just 2-for-2. A career low after getting back on track. It’s not a performance worthy of an 8 billion dollar free agent. But what he lacks in hitting, he makes up for in defensive contributions and team morale. He led the LG Twins in team ERA for two years in a row.
However, as the season progressed and the team entered the postseason, Yoo needed to pick up his batting pace.
But here’s the kicker. Out of all the Lotte hitters, Yoo is the best at hitting left-handed pitching. Yoo was able to take advantage of Kim Jae-woong and hit the game-winning hit to set the tone for the team. Lotte scored six runs in the seventh inning and turned it into a big inning, as Ahn Kwon-soo, Park Seung-wook, Jeon Jun-woo, An Chi-hong, and Yoon Dong-hee all hit RBI singles.메이저놀이터
Each hit was precious considering Lotte fell behind 6-5 in the bottom of the ninth due to a poor bullpen performance. It was Yoo Kang-nam who pierced through the veins. Yoo also hit a double in the eighth inning to showcase his improved hitting.
After the game, Yoo’s batting average was 2-for-3, and his batting average against left-handed pitchers jumped to 5-for-22 with 11 doubles, one home run, and three RBIs. Lotte’s problem against left-handed pitchers is solved, and Yoo Kang-nam is at the center of it.