KT Wiz’s flagship hitter Kang Baek-ho (25), who has been sluggish throughout the second half of the year, made a timely hit contributing to the competition for the semifinals, setting the stage for a rebound.
At a home game against the Lotte Giants in the 2024 KBO League held at KT Wiz Park in Suwon on Monday, Kang threw a pinch hitter at second base with no outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, when the score was tied 1-1, and hit a slider from opposing pitcher Chung Hyeon-su to the right, bringing the runner at second base home. With the ball count at 1-2 strikes, Kang sensibly pulled a course slider that was lower on the outside (based on left-handed hitters).먹튀검증
Kang was later replaced by pinch runner Song Min-seop. After Kang broke the balance of the game, Kim Min-hyuk hit a timely hit to the right, and after two outs, Jang Sung-woo hit a two-run shot to the left against Na Kyun-an, a changed pitcher, to lead the game 5-1, and won the remaining two times by blocking the remaining defense without losing a point. KT was able to maintain its fifth position by one game as sixth-ranked SSG, which played against the Incheon LG Twins on the day, lost the game 5-14.
Kang has been excluded from the starting lineup in all three recent games. He played as a pinch hitter in 12 of 57 games his team played in the second half. He hit .315 with 22 homers and 66 RBIs in the first half of the season, but only hit .240 with three homers in the second half before the game against Lotte on the 24th.
At a time when KT is in the midst of a race to advance to the top five teams, it failed to do its bit. KT coach Lee Kang-chul excluded Kang from the starting lineup as in the game against Lotte on the day when he needed to send a message. Under such circumstances, he hit a timely hit that contributed to his team’s victory. It was also the finishing hit against Lotte.
When KT advances to the postseason (PS), it is essential to have a batter who gives pressure like Kang Baek-ho. This is why he should contribute to the team’s victory in the rest of the season and increase the sense of hitting.
After the game, Kang said, “I was so sorry that I could not contribute to my team under important circumstances. When I was substituted, both the team and the fans probably believed in me at that moment, but I was disappointed that I could not display a result that lived up to my belief,” adding, “Today (against Lotte Giants on Monday) the RBI situation was no out and the runner was at second base, so I was going to make a team batting to send it to third base. So the attempt to pull it led to a course hit. As a result, I had an RBI, but I am not satisfied at all today. As the team is having an important time in the ranking fight for Agu in the fall, I will continue to train and work hard to regain my good condition.”