The universe is in favor of the LG Twins. Chasers KT Wiz have a hole in their starting rotation and will use a temporary starter for the next two games against LG.
KT manager Lee Kang-cheol breathed a sigh of relief over his starting rotation this week ahead of a game against Samsung at KT Wiz Park in Suwon on April 19.
“I’m tired, I’m tired,” said Lee, who traveled from Daejeon on Monday to play a doubleheader after the longest rain delay in history (204 minutes) on the 17th. KT will play a grueling nine-game series through the end of the week.
KT has been struggling with its starting lineup, with Choi Min-joon out for the season (elbow surgery) and Uhm Sang-baek injured (ribs). The team is struggling to find a replacement starter.
They need a temporary starter for the 20th against LG Electronics or the 21st against Lotte. “It’s Ha Jun-ho,” Lee said weakly when asked who would start against LG Electronics on the 20th. The left-hander is likely to be the first pitcher, a bullpen day. If Ha Jun-ho goes out against LG, Yeo Byeol-sung will start against Lotte on the 21st.
Lee continued, “We also need a temporary starter for next week’s game against LG Electronics on the 26th. We’re going to give LG two games,” he said, adding, “LG has been lucky with the rain. The last time we had a rain delay here, we couldn’t play a no-hitter (waiting 104 minutes), we won against Hanwha in a rainy cold game, and the other day when we started Kim Kwang-hyun, we won in a rain delay.”
In the game against KT in Suwon on May 5, LG was suspended due to heavy rain in the top of the fourth inning with a 4-2 lead, but it was not declared a no-game and waited for the rain to stop. The game resumed after 104 minutes and LG won. On the 15th, the game against Hanwha in Daejeon was suspended in the top of the seventh inning with a 4-3 lead, and the team won in a rainout.
In the first game of the doubleheader against SSG on the 17th, the game was suspended with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 6th inning after trailing 2-3, and resumed after waiting 70 minutes. With Kim Kwang-hyun unable to pitch anymore and replaced, LG took advantage of SSG’s bullpen to pull off the upset. (LG was rained out of a no-game in the second inning of an 8-0 win over KIA in Gwangju in early August, but rain has been on LG’s side in the last three games).
Meanwhile, KT’s Kim Min-soo, who was given a chance as a substitute starter, continued to struggle and was dropped from the starting lineup. In his three starts, Kim gave up 6 runs in 3 innings, 5 runs in 3 innings, and 4 runs in 3 innings (2 earned). Kim gave up an early run against Hanwha in Daejeon on the 18th and lost the lead. Lee lamented that he could not give Kim any more starting opportunities.메이저놀이터
Second-place KT is 6.5 games behind leader LG. With a one-game lead over third-place NC, defending second place is more of a priority than chasing first.
KT will start Cuevas, Benjamin, and Ko Young-pyo in the rotation for the three-game series against KIA this weekend. LG Electronics has no choice but to strategically use temporary starters.