It was a disappointing loss. Lee Yi-ri of the KIA Tigers pitched a quality start with six innings of two-run ball, but couldn’t get any help from his defense and batting.
However, 바카라사이트 KIA manager Kim Jong-kook was very generous with his grade.
Lee gave up four runs (two earned) on eight hits (one home run) in six innings against the LG Twins at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field on Sept. 9, walking one and striking out three, without issuing a single walk. The 2-6 loss kept Lee from reaching the 10-win plateau and handed him his sixth loss of the season.
One of the more disappointing moments came in the top of the second inning. Lee was hit by a pitch to Park Dong-won at first base, but Park was thrown out trying to steal second base, giving Lee a chance to breathe, but he immediately gave up a two-run home run to Kim Min-sung at No. 8 on a 149-kilometer fastball. The inning ended with a hit and a walk, but no runs scored. In the top of the fifth, two errors gave up a run, and in the top of the seventh, he gave up a hard-hit ball to leadoff hitter Hong Chang-gi, who then scored on an error to turn Lee’s run into four. He had a quality start with only two earned runs.
The fact that Lee didn’t give up any walks is definitely a positive sign for a pitcher who has been criticized for his command of his pitches.
This is only the second time since June 3, 2022, against the Suwon KT Wiz (7 innings, 0 strikeouts) that Lee hasn’t given up a walk in a start between his debut in 2021 and this year.
He was very aggressive in the first inning, spraying the ball in the strike zone, and it paid off.
“I think he’s getting a little more steady,” Kim said of Lee’s pitching, “a lot better than when he was bad.” “He’s utilizing both his changeup and fastball toward the borderline, so he’s been pitching with fewer pitches and more innings,” Kim said, adding, “He can give up runs, but I think he’s been stable.”
Lee’s strikeouts have definitely decreased in the last four games. He had two walks in five innings against KT on July 8, three walks in six innings against Lotte on July 28 and three walks in five innings against the Samsung Lions on July 3, giving him eight walks in 22 innings in his last four games. 3.3 walks per nine innings. This is almost half of Lee’s 6.8 walks per nine innings this season.
This could pave the way for him to be an ace for KIA in the second half of the season, as well as the Asian Games. Even though he was the losing pitcher, it was definitely a positive sign.