The Samsung Lions, the team’s top batting average in the second half and the only triple-digit batting average team, are showing signs of life with the final piece of the puzzle, Oh Jae-il.
Oh Jae-il started at first base in the No. 7 spot against the Daegu KIA on the 20th and went 2-for-4 with a home run, his eighth of the season, and two RBIs. It was the 201st home run of his career.
Samsung completed its first sweep of the season with a 6-4 victory over KIA thanks to Oh’s solo shot, his first in 71 days. The team’s “KIA phobia,” which was an absolute disadvantage with a 2-8 record, was somewhat overcome with a 4-9 record in the series.
A three-game sweep would have been possible with a win on the 19th, the day before Choi Chae-heung pitched his first quality start in nine games after being discharged from the military and Koo Ja-rook hit his first career grand slam.
The game resumed after an 88-minute rain delay in the top of the third inning.
Samsung was nervous. They took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning on Kang Min-ho’s solo shot, but Won Tae-in’s early walk forced them to go to their bullpen after the first inning.
KIA kept Hwang Dong-ha, a second-year starter in place of Yang Hyun-jong, on the mound after the rain delay and held on until the fifth inning.
The Lions needed a run. Oh Jae-il stepped up to the plate.
He led off the fifth inning with a 1-0 lead and immediately pulled a high fastball (140km) from KIA starter Hwang Dong-ha over the right field fence. A spectacular home run with a distance of 120 meters. It was the first time in 71 days since June 10 against Daegu Lotte.
He had been struggling with timing on his fastballs lately, with many fouls going backward. As if he had found a solution at the right time, he swung like Oh Jae-il in his prime.
The player who welcomed the home run more than anyone else was Oh’s successor as captain, Koo Ja-ook.
He personally greeted the senior with a deep hug and sincerely comforted him for his troubles.
“I feel bad for you as a junior because you’re struggling and I can’t seem to help you. You’re still training very hard and preparing for the game, but it doesn’t seem to be going well, so I feel sorry for you.”
Koo Ja-rook, who was the honored player for the Daegu LG Electronics on the 17th, expressed his feelings for Oh Jae-il.
Oh Jae-il has been practicing incurability lately. He often talks about hitting with Koo, who has hit a home run and a grand slam in three consecutive games.
Gu Za-rook is winning with the tips he learned from his coach, Lee Byung-kyu, who was the best middle infield hitter in the game. He also shares it with Oh Jae-il.
He congratulates her for hitting a grand slam the day before and asks her for her wishes. Oh was desperate to make a comeback.
Oh Jae-il, who had hit a home run earlier in the day, sat next to Koo again. They were seen talking about the following part of the game while using their wrists. It is a positive ripple effect that spreads throughout the team centered on the leading hitter.
After having a serious talk with Koo about hitting, Oh Jae-il, who had given up a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the sixth inning, lined a 142-kilometer fastball from Jeon Sang-hyun to right field with the bases loaded. He then came home on Kim Hyun-jun’s timely triple, the team’s fifth run of the game.
He is slowly regaining his timing with a light swing.
Samsung’s batting order of Kim Hyun-joon, Kim Sung-yoon, and Gu Jae-rook is doing a great job. If Oh Jae-il can hit behind the plate with Pirela, they’ll have a ton of firepower. A one-hit wonder who can fill in for bullpen weaknesses. Oh Jae-il is waking up. Behind him is Koo Ja-rook, and even further behind him is head coach Lee Byung-kyu.메이저사이트
In a recent interview, Oh Jae-il said, “My mind was hard, but when I was injured, I rested and cleared my mind, and I felt much better than in the beginning,” giving a positive sign that he is slowly getting out of the psychological pressure.