“I’m just sorry.”
Lee Sun-woo (KT Wiz) started the second game of a doubleheader against the KIA Tigers of the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League on Thursday at KT Wiz Park in Suwon, South Korea, and pitched 4⅔ innings, allowing two runs (two earned) on seven hits (one home run) with two walks and one strikeout. Thanks to Lee’s strong outing, KT won 3-2 and snapped a three-game losing streak.
Lee faced his first crisis of the game in the bottom of the second inning when he gave up a single to Ko Jong-wook and a double to Kim Seok-hwan. However, he struck out Kim Tae-gun to get out of the jam. In the third, he had runners on first and second with no outs, but induced Kim Do-young to hit a grounder to the third baseman to turn a double play with Kim Kyu-sung and Park Chan-ho leading off. He then got Kim Sun-bin to ground out to third base.
In the top of the fourth inning, he gave up a home run to leadoff hitter Socrates Brito. He then gave up back-to-back singles to Lee Woo-sung and Ko Jong-wook to put runners on first and third, and induced Kim Seok-hwan to fly out to shortstop, allowing Lee Woo-sung to score two runs.
In the top of the fifth inning, Lee walked Park Chan-ho with the bases loaded and no outs. Lee’s 138 km/h two-seam fastball hit Chan-ho Park on the left forearm. Park walked to first base, but complained of pain and was eventually replaced by pinch-hitter Oh Sun-woo to end the game. Lee apologized to Park Chan-ho and expressed his regret.스포츠토토
Lee then gave up a walk to Kim Do-young and got Kim Sun-bin to fly out to center field before leaving the mound.
When Lee met with the media after the game, he looked worried. He had heard that Park Chan-ho was not doing well.
Park Chan-ho was iced and taken to the hospital for a checkup. The results were not good. A KIA representative said, “Park Chan-ho received a comminuted ulnar fracture (left) as a result of an X-ray examination at Suwon Suhospital,” adding, “We will double-check tomorrow morning. The exact diagnosis, including the rehabilitation period, will be announced again tomorrow (May 5).”
Lee tried to visit Park Chan-ho after the match to apologize in person, but the situation was not convenient. Instead, he apologized through the media.
“I don’t feel good that the ball hit my body,” Lee said, “I didn’t throw it on purpose. I apologize for the hit. I’m sorry for the hit.”
Meanwhile, things are not looking good for KIA. Na Sung-beom is out for the season with a hamstring injury and Choi Hyung-woo is out after undergoing surgery to fix his collarbone. If Park Chan-ho is also out for the season, it’s a red flag for the team’s chances of making it to fall baseball at the end of the season.