What should have been a game-tying hit sailed into the outfield, resulting in five runs and crucial momentum. Mario Sanchez of the KIA Tigers was once again unable to generate any rebounding momentum.
The Tigers fell to a 1-6 defeat against the Lotte Giants at Sajik Stadium in Busan on April 13. The loss dropped the Kia to 45-46-2 on the season and dropped them back to a five-game winning percentage.
Sanchez, who started the game, had been struggling lately. He was brought in as a replacement after playing in the Taiwanese Professional Baseball League and has faltered since his sensational debut (6⅓ innings, 5 hits (1 HR), 10 strikeouts, 1 run against KT on July 9). His last two games have been mixed results. He gave up seven runs on 10 hits (1 HR) in 4 innings against Samsung Electronics on July 1, and four runs on five hits (1 HR) in 4⅓ innings against Hanwha on July 6 with four walks and six strikeouts.
Once again, the game didn’t start off well. Back-to-back singles in the first inning put runners on first and second with no outs, and he allowed a leadoff single in the second inning, but he didn’t let that happen. Instead, he used his command to get a strikeout in each of those situations to limit the damage.
In the third inning, the inhibitions broke down. He didn’t get any help from his defense. In the third inning, it was the same story. The leadoff hitter gave up a single to Ahn Kwon-soo and a walk to Ahn Chi-hong, putting runners on first and second with no outs.
He then faced Lee Jung-hoon, who induced a grounder to the second baseman. However, second baseman Kim Kyu-sung fielded the ball short and threw it into the outfield. The second baseman scored the first run of the game. At 150.3 mph, it wasn’t a slow pitch, but it wasn’t an unplayable pitch either.
Eventually, the Kia bench realized that it was a clear error and immediately substituted Kim Kyu-sung. They brought in Choi Jeong-yong, but the situation didn’t change. Sanchez seemed to settle down, but the crisis continued. Sanchez was hit by a single to center field by Jeon Jun-woo to load the bases.
But he got out of the jam by striking out Goodrum on three pitches. Park Seung-wook then hit an infield single to second base. Choi Jung-yong made a diving catch to keep the runners at bay. With the bases loaded, Choi struck out Kim Min-seok again.
Holding Sanchez to two runs in a clutch situation with an error would have been the best outcome for Sanchez and Kia. But things didn’t go according to plan for KIA.
With the bases loaded and two outs, Noh Jin-hyuk hit a triple down the left field line. The score was 0-5, and the momentum was completely in Lotte’s favor. In 스포츠토토 the five-run outburst, Sanchez allowed just one earned run. The scorekeeper also felt that Sanchez could have kept the runs in check if he hadn’t made an error in the third inning.
Starting second baseman Kim Sun-bin is currently out of the lineup with a sore hamstring. The second base position continues to be an issue. The team is anxious to get him back and miss his presence. Sanchez probably misses him too.