NC head coach Kang Myung-ho explained the substitution of leadoff hitter Park Gun-woo during the game.
On the 25th, LG and NC played at Changwon NC Park. In the bottom of the fifth inning with an 11-0 lead, Park Gun-woo batted leadoff. He faced LG’s second pitcher, Jung Woo-young.
Park saw four strikes on three pitches. The NC bench then announced a substitution. Standing at the plate, Park didn’t know what was happening. He didn’t know why he was suddenly replaced.
Kim Sung-wook was ready and stepped into the batter’s box. Manager Kang Myung-ho patted Park on the back and encouraged him as he walked back to the dugout. Park Gun-woo, who had gone 2-for-3, finished the game as a substitute.
When asked about Park’s substitution the day before at the press briefing prior to the game, Kang said, “There’s the other team, and I’m too cautious to say.”
He clarified that it was not a reprimand or something directed at Park. “It wasn’t a big substitution,” Kang said. “It was just an early change, considering the pitcher we were facing with a big lead. With Park returning after being sent down to the second team for a walk-off at the end of the first half, the substitution drew attention during the game, but it didn’t send a message.먹튀검증
NC had pounded out 19 hits the day before in a 14-1 blowout win. They took advantage of LG starter Choi Won-tae early, scoring 11 runs on 15 hits by the fourth inning.
Coach Kang said, “The bats were focused early on. We were aggressive early in the count. I think the hitters realized that Choi Won-tae’s changeup was good, so we tried to hit the ball hard to get the count.”
As for Pedi, who pitched seven innings of one-run ball the day before to win his 16th game, he said, “I think my biggest strength is that I have a variety of pitches that are hard to adapt to. In addition to his sweeper, he has a good two-seam and cutter, and he’s been using the left and right sides of the strike zone a lot lately, but when that didn’t work out, he changed things up and down the zone yesterday.”