Seoul: At one end, a 40-year-old right-hander in the LG Twins bullpen continues to turn back the clock in the South Korean baseball championship series. At the other end, a 23-year-old rookie has morphed into a shutdown reliever in his very first postseason after enjoying a solid regular season as a full-time starter.
According to Yonhap News Agency, lost in the shuffle of the Twins' offensive outburst in their two wins over the Hanwha Eagles in the Korean Series has been superb work by Kim Jin-sung, the veteran workhorse who ranked second in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) this year with 78 appearances and 33 holds, and Song Seung-ki, the starter-turned-reliever who went 11-6 with a 3.50 ERA in the regular season.
In the Twins' 8-2 win in the opener Sunday, Kim pitched a scoreless inning, while Song threw one perfect frame. Both also saw action in the Twins' 13-5 victory the following day, and Kim worked out of a bases-loaded jam to earn his first career postseason win, while Song pitched two more perfect innings and struck out three.
Kim, the oldest pitcher in this series, especially came up big Monday. With the Twins leading 7-4 in the top of the fourth inning, the Eagles drew a bases-loaded walk from rookie reliever Kim Young-woo to get a run back and make it a two-run game.
Manager Youm Kyoung-youb summoned Kim Jin-sung to face cleanup Roh Si-hwan, who had homered in the first inning of the game. And it represented a significant change in pitching styles, with Kim Young-woo pumping fastballs at well over 150 kph but Kim Jin-sung barely reaching over 140 kph.
Kim Jin-sung got to a 2-2 count on Roh mostly with his forkball and then got the slugger to swing on a high fastball at 144 kph for the big punchout.
"I didn't have enough time to warm up, but I tried to concentrate the best I could," the veteran pitcher said following his earlier-than-expected appearance. "Because Young-woo throws so hard, I was worried if my velocity would be enough to get Hanwha hitters."
Kim then added with a smile, "I put my heart and soul into every pitch, and it led to a good outcome."
Kim, who said he called his own pitch to strike out Roh, retired the side in order in the fifth inning. As the Twins went on to win, Kim was credited with the win, making him the oldest pitcher to win a Korean Series game at 40 years, seven months, and 20 days old.
Song said after the game he is just happy to pitch in meaningful games this time of year.
"In the Korean Series, it doesn't matter what your role is. I am just honored to have a chance to take the mound," Song said. "I am pleased I've been able to do my part so far, but I won't let my guard down until the series is over."
Even though he has been a starter, Song said he can get warmed up relatively quickly in the bullpen, and he has no issues coming into a game in middle innings.
Twins catcher Park Dong-won had said before Game 2 that he feels Song has better stuff than in the regular season, and he can overpower opposing hitters, something he didn't always do in the regular season.
When informed of this comment, Song said his fastball velocity hasn't ticked up all that much, but he may have more zip behind his pitches.
"I've had plenty of rest, and I can throw extra hard now because I know I only need to go a couple of innings," Song added.
The lefty has said he is a longtime admirer of veteran southpaw Ryu Hyun-jin, widely considered the greatest left-hander in South Korean baseball history. Ryu is now in his second tour of duty with the Eagles after more than a decade in Major League Baseball, and the two-time Cy Young Award finalist was the Game 2 starter here Monday.
Song didn't quite realize his dream of starting opposite Ryu in a Korean Series game, but at least he got to pitch in the same game as the 38-year-old.
"For now, it's an honor just to have pitched in relief in the same game that Ryu Hyun-jin started," Song said with a laugh. "It's been a whirlwind in this series. But maybe much later in my career, I will look back on this day fondly."