Daejeon: With yet another outstanding performance on the mound Sunday, Samsung Lions starter Choi Won-tae continued his transformation into a reliable postseason pitcher, a scenario that seemed improbable only weeks ago. Choi delivered seven strong innings, allowing just one run on three hits, as his Lions defeated the Hanwha Eagles 7-3 in Game 2 of the second-round series in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) postseason. This victory ties the series at one game each.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Choi’s start was rocky, as he conceded a solo home run to Luis Liberato in the bottom of the first inning at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark. However, he quickly regained composure, permitting only three more hits over his next six frames. Utilizing a mix of four-seam fastballs and changeups, Choi effectively contained the opposing hitters, occasionally incorporating cutters and two-seam fastballs.
In the second inning, Choi maneuvered around a walk and a single and then struck out two batters in the third. He allowed a one-out single in the fourth but retired the subsequent two batters, finishing strongly with a strikeout against Kim Tae-yean after a ten-pitch duel. Liberato managed a single with two outs in the fifth, but Choi successfully got Moon Hyun-bin to fly out to left field.
Choi’s performance only improved as the game progressed. He completed his first three-up, three-down inning in the sixth and exited the mound with a broad smile, having thrown 82 pitches. He followed with another efficient inning in the seventh, retiring the side on just nine pitches. His satisfaction was evident as he and catcher Kang Min-ho embraced in the dugout, marking the end of Choi’s impressive seven-inning stint.
This game marked Choi’s second consecutive quality start in the postseason, a stark contrast to his previous 11.16 ERA in 18 outings before this fall. On October 9, Choi pitched six scoreless innings with eight strikeouts against the SSG Landers, leading to a 5-2 victory in the previous series. Reflecting on that performance, Choi humorously noted that even he had low expectations for himself, and Lions fans were likely surprised by his outing.
Expectations for Sunday’s matchup may have been modest, particularly with the Eagles starting their ace, Ryan Weiss, who ranked among the top five in innings pitched and strikeouts during the regular season. However, it was Weiss who faltered under the postseason pressure, giving up five runs on nine hits in just four innings, providing ample run support for Choi.
Choi credited his catcher Kang Min-ho for his success, acknowledging Kang’s guidance in focusing on control rather than velocity. “During the regular season, I didn’t really listen to him, and I just tried to throw hard every time,” Choi said. “But when he told me to try to pound the strike zone and not worry about velocity, I listened. It worked out great.”
Choi admitted that his previous postseason performances warranted the criticism he received. “Honestly, I had pitched so poorly in previous postseasons that I deserved to be so criticized,” he said. “This year, though, my teammates have put me in a situation where I can just go out there and enjoy myself.”
Kang Min-ho, who also hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning, emphasized his focus on stifling the Eagles’ offense. After the Eagles narrowly won 9-8 in Saturday’s Game 1, Kang aimed to simplify his approach and support Choi’s excellent performance. “Won-tae had excellent stuff today. It made our life so easy,” Kang remarked.
Despite his valuable contributions, Kang, 40, has been primarily focused on defense this postseason, batting seventh or eighth. “I think this is the message from my manager that I should just focus on defense,” Kang said with a laugh. “The boys hitting in front of me have been getting it done in the scoring department. So I am just trying to lead the pitchers and to allow as few runs as possible.”