I think it’s a game that the Pittsburgh Pirates will remember most clearly when they look back on the 2023 season.
A walk-off home run hit off the bat of a Korean batter. At PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, cheers and excitement poured onto the ground.
Dramatic scenes continued to the extent that even watching the ninth inning, you could say you watched the whole game. The Houston Astros tied the game with Chas McCormick’s double from left in the top of the ninth inning, trailing 2-4. Pittsburgh closer David Bednar tasted the pain of his first blown save of the season.
Given that the mood had shifted to Houston, he could have predicted an overtime game.
But the real drama unfolded in the bottom of the ninth.
Leader Rodolfo Castro opened the door with a right-handed hit. After one death, Andrew McCutchen hit left fielder to 1st and 2nd base. 카지노사이트
Bae Ji-hwan stepped into the plate. In the ball count 2B2S, on the 7th pitch, he pulled an 88.5 mile changeup that cut into the opposing pitcher’s body and hit the ball that extended toward the right middle wall. Bae Ji-hwan, sensing that it was a home run the moment he hit it, threw the bat he was holding onto the ground and slowly ran away. He roared after rounding first base.
The pitcher who hit the home run is Ryan Presley, the closer that represents the major leagues. He glanced at the batted ball as it stretched out, screamed out loud, and then moved to the dugout at first base with his head bowed. He never moved his head until he stepped into the dugout. Season 2 loss.
Presley is a veteran reliever who debuted in the major leagues in 2013. He was a midfielder with the Minnesota Twins before transitioning to closer when he moved to Houston. He posted 33 saves and a 2.98 ERA in 50 games last year, becoming a top-notch firefighter in his mid-30s.
He throws a mix of fastballs, sliders and curveballs in the mid-90s, and his pitches are very stable. He pitched in 5 games in the postseason last year and pitched 11 innings, giving up only 1 run in an undefeated game, leading Houston to win the World Series. In particular, in Game 5 of the World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies, he took the mound in the top of the ninth inning with a 4-1 lead, blocking a scoreless run and deciding the championship.
Last month, he participated in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) as a member of the U.S. national team and played well with 2 saves in 3 games and no runs in 3 innings. This is the finish that has been getting the most attention lately.
Bae Ji-hwan said after the game, “When the tension was flowing, I tried to focus more.”
“We turned the game around,” Pittsburgh coach Derek Shelton said. I was thrilled.
Bae Ji-hwan’s walk-off home run came after 19 appearances and 71 at-bats in his major league debut. There are few players in major league history who have drawn an arch to finish so quickly.