After a hot August, the KIA Tigers’ bats came alive in the first game of September, but the manager emphasized the need to address the challenges that emerged from the victory.
KIA extended its winning streak to six games with a 10-2 victory in the 11th game of the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League against SSG Landers at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on September 1. The team’s season record now stands at 54 wins, 2 draws, and 50 losses (.519).
After finding a way around starter Roenis Ellis in the top of the third inning, KIA took advantage of Kim Do-young’s RBI double and Na Sung-beom’s RBI single in the top of the fourth inning, and completed the big inning with three runs in the top of the fifth inning, including a solo shot by Socrates Brito.
After adding a run in the top of the seventh on an RBI single by Na Sung-bum, KIA capped the scoring in the top of the ninth with a three-run homer by Na and a double by Hong Jong-pyo, who scored from third on a grounder to shortstop by Socrates.
However, Kia head coach Kim Jong-kook was not satisfied with an eight-run victory. “I’m in good batting form right now, but batting is always a bit cyclical, so it can go bad at any time,” Kim said before the second game. “When I’m batting well, and when the team’s mood is up, I need to do a better job with defense and other basic things.”
“Yesterday, we made one or two mistakes on the defensive side, and when things were going well, I told them to show a more stable defense,” he said. “Not only the batting, but the defense needs to be more stable so that we can win in tight situations, and I think we need to be more prepared,” he added.
In particular, Socrates’ failure to catch Choi Ji-hoon’s fly ball at second and third base in the bottom of the eighth inning with a 6-0 lead immediately led to a run, narrowing the gap between the two teams to four runs. 카지노
Coach Kim Jong-kook said, “It wasn’t a hit into the light tower. It was because I came forward a little bit when I judged the first pitch, and as the score widened a little bit, the tension was released,” said Kim Jong-guk. “I think we need to make fewer mistakes that shouldn’t be made.”
“It was almost a week for Choi Ji-min, and I think it was four or five days for Jeon Sang-hyun, so it was a big difference, but I had to throw for the sake of pitching, so I sent (them) out there,” he explained.
Meanwhile, KIA’s lineup against Moon Seung-won was Park Chan-ho (shortstop), Kim Do-young (third base), Na Sung-beom (right field), Choi Hyung-woo (designated hitter), Socrates (left field), Kim Sun-bin (second base), Hwang Dae-in (first base), Han Jun-soo (catcher), and Choi Won-joon (center field). The starting pitcher was Yoon Young-cheol.
Instead of Kim Tae-gun, Han Jun-soo will form a battery with Yoon Young-chul. “Han Jun-soo and Yoon Young-chul have been working well together, and there’s also the issue of Kim Tae-gun’s physical condition. Han Jun-soo also needs to gradually increase the number of games he plays.”