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| Kim Jae-yoon / Photo=DB |
With the win, Samsung improved to 19 wins, one tie and 14 losses, remaining tied with the SSG Landers for third place.
NC dropped one spot to sixth, falling to 15 wins, one tie and 17 losses.
Right-hander Jang Chan-hee, making his first career start, recorded his first quality start, going six innings while allowing four hits, walking three, striking out two and giving up one run. The outing marked his third win of the season (he is now 3-2) and his first win as a starter. Closer Kim Jae-yoon worked the ninth inning, fanning all three batters he faced to reach 200 career saves — the sixth pitcher in KBO history to reach that milestone.
At the plate, Yang Woo-hyun supplied the early punch, homering as the leadoff hitter and finishing 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored to help seal the victory.
NC starter Mok Ji-hoon took the loss, lasting 4.1 innings and allowing seven hits, including two home runs, with three walks, three strikeouts and four runs (three earned).
The scoring opened on Samsung’s long ball. In the top of the second, leadoff man Yang Woo-hyun drove Mok’s second pitch — a 143 km/h (about 89 mph) fastball — over the right-field wall for a leadoff solo homer.
Samsung kept the pressure on. In the top of the fifth, with one out, Koo Ja-wook launched a solo shot over the left fielder’s head to push the lead to 2-0.
Later in the frame, Choi Hyung-woo drew a walk and Díaz followed with a single to right. Reliever Lee Jun-hyeok’s errant throw created a bases-loaded, one-out opportunity. Jeon Byung-woo delivered an RBI single and Yang added a sacrifice fly, extending the lead to 4-0.
Silent through the first four innings, NC mounted a response in the bottom of the sixth. Leadoff hitter Park Min-woo ripped a double into the right-center gap, took third on a steal and later scored on Park Geon-woo’s sacrifice fly for NC’s first run.
NC kept chipping away. In the bottom of the seventh, leadoff batter Oh Young-soo jumped on reliever Miyaji’s first pitch — a 144 km/h (about 90 mph) fastball — and sent a 130-meter (approximately 427-foot) homer to right. After two outs, Kim Han-byul and Oh Tae-yang drew back-to-back walks, and Park Min-woo’s RBI single cut the deficit to 4-3.
That was as close as NC would get. With a one-run lead entering the ninth, Samsung turned to Kim Jae-yoon, who struck out the side — Oh Young-soo, Kim Hyung-jun and Ahn Jung-yeol — to close out the win.
[Sports Today reporter Shin Seo-young sports@stoo.com]
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