Right-handed pitcher Choi Won-tae (26, Kiwoom Heroes) made a good pitch in the first appearance of the season.
Choi Won-tae started in a home game against the LG Twins held at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on the 5th and went down the mound after giving up 5 hits, 3 walks, 3 strikeouts and 1 run in 6 innings. He was replaced with a 2-1 lead and met the requirements for a winning pitcher. Choi Won-tae’s average ERA against LG last season was 5.40. He struggled a little in the two head-to-head matches, but achieved a quality start (QS · 6 or more starting innings and 3 earned runs or less) in his first appearance this season.
He was flawless. At the beginning of the first inning, he walked lead batter Hong Chang-ki, but caught the base hitter Moon Seong-joo at bat in the follow-up. After allowing Kim Hyun-soo the first hit of the day after two outs, he treated foreign batter Austin Dean with an outfield fly. The second and third innings were scoreless with one hit and one walk. His only run was in the top of the 4th inning. Leading batsman Austin got a hit to the left, and Oh Ji-hwan’s double in the middle left immediately exploded. Center fielder Lim Byeong-wook threw a throw to second base, and Austin, runner on first base, dug home, making the score 1-2.
Choi Won-tae was stable.스포츠토토 Park Dong-won, Moon Bo-kyung, and Seo Geon-chang were turned into three consecutive hitters in the fourth inning with no second base. In the beginning of the 5th inning, Hong Chang-ki’s heavy hit came out after one out, but after the 1st inning, he caught the base again and got an out count. He didn’t even give up a run in the top of the 6th inning. After two outs, Oh Ji-hwan walked out and stole the base. In the second base crisis, Park Dong-won was induced with a foul fly by the first baseman to end the inning.
Kiwoom coach Hong Won-ki started the bullpen from the 7th inning and put Moon Seong-hyun on the mound. Choi Won-tae’s pitches were 104 (68 strikes).