Seoul: Even after his bullpen blew late leads in two of the past three games in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), both resulting in losses, Hanwha Eagles manager Kim Kyung-moon expressed no concern over his relief corps. "Our bullpen has been great all season, and that is why blips like this are drawing so much attention," Kim stated before the Eagles faced the LG Twins at Jamsil Baseball Stadium. "These guys are humans, too."
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Eagles arrived in Seoul after falling in two out of three games at home in Daejeon against the KT Wiz. On Tuesday, their bullpen allowed five runs in the top of the eighth inning, resulting in a 5-2 defeat. The relievers surrendered three runs in the ninth inning on Wednesday, although the team managed to secure a 5-4 victory.
Thursday's game saw the Eagles take a 4-0 lead into the seventh inning, only to lose 5-4 after the Wiz scored once in the seventh, once in the eighth, and three times in the ninth. Overall, the Eagles' relievers were responsible for 13 earned runs on 16 hits, including three home runs, over nine innings. Despite these performances, the Eagles maintain the second-lowest bullpen ERA in the KBO at 3.75.
All-Star closer Kim Seo-hyeon, who pitched on Tuesday and Wednesday, was charged with a total of five runs on three hits and two walks in one inning. His ERA increased from 1.55 to 2.47, marking the first time all season he allowed a run on consecutive days.
However, Manager Kim defended his 21-year-old closer, who ranks fourth in the league with 24 saves. "This is his first year as our closer, and we can't possibly ask for more from him," Kim remarked. "Even great pitchers blow saves over the course of a season. This is nothing. If he gets into the game tonight, I hope Seo-hyeon will put these recent games behind him and pitch like he usually does."
After winning 10 consecutive games in late July, the Eagles have struggled, posting an 8-7-1 record in the second half, including a 1-3-0 mark in August. Meanwhile, the Twins boast a KBO-best 15-3-0 record since the All-Star break, and their 5-1-0 start in August propelled them past the Eagles into first place.
The Eagles-Twins series from Friday to Sunday could potentially preview the Korean Series, though Manager Kim remained cautious. "We still have about 40 games left," he said. "Obviously, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't thinking about our matchup. But we will still have games to play after this series. We won't get to clinch first place here. We just have to keep taking care of business, one game at a time."