KIA Tigers veteran infielder Kim Sun-bin hit hard to save the team from the mire of consecutive losses. He showed his clutch instinct every time and broke down Lotte Giants.고수익알바
Kim Sun-bin started as the sixth batter and second baseman in Game 8 of the 2024 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League against Lotte at Kia Champions Field in Gwangju on the 6th, scoring two hits, one home run, three RBIs and one run in four times at bat.
Kim brought the game to square one with two outs and a chance to second base in the bottom of the sixth inning when Kia was losing 1-3. He hit a two-run homer off Lotte right-handed fire bowler Choi E-joon, tying the game 3-3.
With a two-ball-to-strike, Kim hit a 150-km fastball on the seventh pitch by Lotte’s second pitcher Choi Yi-joon, to blast a tying two-run homer over the left fence. He swung a high fastball that flew towards the strike zone’s body.
Kim continued to display stellar performance. Kia strongly swung the bat again in a chance to hit the third base with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, when the score was tying 4-4. It gave the team a 5-4 lead by hitting a timely RBI single off Lotte right-hander rookie Jeon Mir.
Thanks to Kim Sun-bin’s three RBIs, Kia overwhelmed Lotte 5-4, and snapped a three-game losing streak. It also escaped its fifth consecutive loss at the game against Lotte, which began with an away game at Sajik on April 21.
“It was true that the team’s atmosphere was depressed a lot because it was so weak, including losing five consecutive games to Lotte. I think today’s victory will revive me a little,” Kim said in an interview with an official coach after the game.
He also said, “Losing to Lotte the day before, Coach Lee Bum-ho said that he wanted to lead the team’s atmosphere well during meetings with veteran players,” and looked back, “I think I and Na Sung-bum and Choi Hyung-woo just thought we should raise the atmosphere.”
Kim Sun-bin has recorded five home runs in the 2024 season so far, and if he adds one more home run, he will be able to break his career high for most home runs in a single season.
Since his professional debut in 2008, Kim has recorded a total of 32 home runs until last year. Based on his sophisticated batting skills, he has the ability to hit fast and strong balls, but his ability to produce home runs was not high. He did not have a home run in the 2023 season.
Kim had the most homers in a single season with five in 2012, 2017 and 2021. However, he has displayed impressive punch by drawing five arches in 56 games this year.
“(The increase in the number of home runs) seems to have improved the repulsion power of the ball. I haven’t hit a single homer last year, but I already hit five homers, which makes me a little dumbfounded,” Kim said. “At the end of the sixth inning, the runner was at third base, so I thought I would bring him home anyway. As soon as I hit the ball accurately with the center of the bat, I felt that it was over, so I felt good.”
“At the end of the eighth inning, I had confidence because I hit a home run at the previous batter’s box. I thought a lot about ‘please just me get a chance,'” he said. “When Kim Do-young’s home run tied the game and Na Sung-bum hit a double, I thought ‘that’s enough.’ It would have been better if Lee Woo-sung resolved it in front of me, but even after I entered the batter’s box, I unconditionally tried to raise an RBI.”
KIA manager Lee Bum-ho praised Kim Sun-bin, who tied the game with Kim Do-young’s home run in the bottom of the eighth inning and hit an RBI timely hit after two outs.