‘High school rookie comeback’ goes against expectations…does he still need more time?

The LG Twins were in a good position to make a run, but the plan went awry and their six-game winning streak came to a screeching halt. The absence of ‘Gojoluki’ Park Myung-geun was the reason.

LG had to stop its winning streak at “5” as it lost 5-6 in the 13th game of the Samsung Lions’ season in the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League at Samsung Lions Park in Daegu on Friday. Their season record now stands at 61 wins, 2 losses and 36 draws.메이저놀이터

After scoring two runs in the top of the first inning, LG lost the lead with four runs in the bottom of the sixth. The problem was that starter Adam Plutko, who had been pitching well, was shaky. In the top of the seventh, they had to settle for a one-run lead, but were unable to capitalize as Shin Min-jae singled to right field with runners on first and second and Park Hae-min was thrown out at home.

Still, it wasn’t as if LG didn’t have chances. Given that the score wasn’t close, they could have tied or even won the game at any time. That’s why LG didn’t give up until the very end, pushing their must-win resources.

Park Myung-geun, who was called up to the first team ahead of the game, was tasked with preserving the one-run gap in the bottom of the eighth.

After establishing himself as a key part of the bullpen in the first half of the season with a 4-4 record with five saves and a 3.25 ERA in 36 innings pitched in 36 games, his first half ended prematurely on March 6 against the KT Wiz in Jamsil. The reason was elbow soreness, and LG decided that Park needed to be taken care of. After getting plenty of rest, he was back in “game mode” in a Futures League game against SSG Landers on April 12, throwing ⅔ innings of one-hit ball with one walk and one strikeout.

However, expectations were too high, and Park got off to a shaky start when he gave up a leadoff walk to Kang Min-ho. After Lee Sung-gyu followed with a single to right field, Park threw eight straight pitches to Ryu Ji-hyuk and Kang Han-ul to load the bases. He used a mix of fastballs, changeups, and curves, but failed to produce the desired results.

LG made another pitching change, and with the bases loaded, Choi Dong-hwan hit a two-run double off Oh Jae-il, increasing the gap between the two teams to three runs. After finishing the inning without any more runs, the Tigers scored two runs in the top of the ninth to put pressure on Samseong, but were unable to overturn the deficit. Given that the Tigers scored two runs in the top of the ninth inning, it was unfortunate for LG that Park Myung-geun gave up two runs.

Before the game, LG manager Yeom Kyung-yeop said of Park, “First of all, he will pitch comfortably in the first two or three games, and then he will throw one day and rest one day until the third game. After three games, he will start pitching back-to-back games.” The manager entrusted Park with a key role in the team’s quest for a winning streak, but in the end, LG’s choice was a “failure.