Struggling After Raul Valdes Strategy Failure
Comeback with 3 Runs in 9th Inning... Rematch with Israel
The national baseball team made a dramatic comeback. They defeated the Dominican Republic in a thrilling fashion and advanced to the second round of the knockout stage.
Led by manager Kim Kyung-moon, the team won 4-3 in a come-from-behind victory thanks to a walk-off hit by Kim Hyun-soo (LG) in the 9th inning during the first round of the knockout stage against the Dominican Republic at Yokohama Stadium in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, on the 1st. Escaping a losing streak, they advanced directly to the second round of the knockout stage. Their opponent will be Israel, whom they defeated 6-5 on the 29th of last month. The match will take place tomorrow (the 2nd) at noon at the same venue.
The team struggled throughout the game, failing to effectively challenge the opposing starting pitcher Ra?l Vald?s. Despite several opportunities, they suffered from a lack of timely hits and trailed 1-3 until the 9th inning. In the final at-bat, when defeat seemed imminent, the team revived their chances with an infield hit by Choi Joo-hwan (SSG). Following that, Park Hae-min (Samsung) delivered a clutch hit to left-center field, narrowing the gap by one run, and then with one out and runners on second base, Lee Jung-hoo (Kiwoom) hit a double down the left field line to tie the game.
The game was decided by Kim Hyun-soo’s bat. With two outs and runners on third base, aided by a productive advance hit from Yang Eui-ji (NC), Kim hit a walk-off RBI single over the right fielder’s head. Players who had been eagerly hoping for a hit rushed out of the dugout to celebrate the victory. Manager Kim Kyung-moon also shared high-fives with the players, unable to hide his joy.
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