Young-pyo Ko, one day off, makes miraculous comeback: “I can throw up to 100 pitches”
Young-pyo Ko, one day off, makes miraculous comeback: “I can throw up to 100 pitches”
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Starting on just one day's rest, KT WIZ native ace Ko Young-pyo (33) washed away the concerns surrounding him and pitched his best game yet.
Ko Young-pyo started the first game of the Korean Baseball Organization's best-of-three semifinal playoffs against the LG Twins at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on Friday and pitched four innings of three-hit ball, striking out two and walking one.
KT defeated LG 3-2 behind Ko Young-pyo's come-from-behind performance to clinch the first game of the semifinals.
KT needs to win two of its remaining four games to advance to the playoffs.
Young-pyo Ko has been pitching a lot lately, and his pitching log is breathtaking.
He pitched as the team's third pitcher against the Kiwoom Heroes in the regular season on March 28, throwing 48 pitches in five innings and allowing one run in the team's win.
He then took two days off and pitched as the third pitcher in the fifth-place game against SSG Landers on the 1st, throwing 18 pitches in 1⅔ innings and allowing one run.
He took two days off before returning as the second pitcher in Game 2 of the Wild Card (WC) Decider against the Doosan Bears on March 3, throwing 14 pitches in 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief.
After three bullpen appearances during the week, Ko Young-pyo switched positions and started Game 1 of the semifinals.
KT had been in a “lose-lose” standings battle since the end of the regular season, so they had no starting pitchers available.
Ko Young-pyo volunteered to pitch in the 'opener' format.
There were no big expectations. Before the game, KT manager Lee Kang-cheol said, “In the first game of the semi-PO, we need to mobilize all of our bullpen pitchers,” 토토사이트 and added, “I hope Young-pyo can throw a lot of innings, up to 50 pitches.”
Young-pyo Ko pitched beyond expectations.
In the first inning, he used a two-seam fastball and a big changeup to throw off the timing of the other team's batters.
He struck out Hong Chang-ki and Shin Min-jae on a straight hit to first base and a grounder to shortstop, and Austin Dean on a swinging strikeout with his signature changeup.
In the second inning, he continued his perfect pitching, striking out center fielder Moon Bo-kyung, Oh Hwan and Kim Hyun-soo.
Ko Young-pyo, who had struck out six with 19 pitches in the second inning, didn't let up in the third.
Against leadoff hitter Park Dong-won, he threw four changeups in quick succession and induced three wild swings for strikes.
He induced the next two batters, Park Hae-min to ground out to second base and Moon Sung-joo to ground out in front of the pitcher.
The fourth inning, which reached 30 pitches, was a little shaky.
He gave up back-to-back singles to Shin Min-jae and Austin to make it 2-1. But Ko Young-pyo got Moon Bo-kyung to fly out to center field to end the inning.
In the second inning, he gave up a single to Oh Hwan, but induced Kim Hyun-soo to ground out in front of the pitcher to get out of the jam.
Ko threw 56 pitches on the day, more than he planned. He threw 37 changeups and 19 two-seamers.
Young-pyo Ko's two-hit shutout was enough to earn him the Daily Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.
“After the second inning, manager Lee Kang-cheol asked me if I was okay, so I told him that I can throw up to 100 pitches, so he should look at me the same as usual,” he said at the postgame press conference. ‘But in the fourth inning, I was tired, so the manager cut me off,’ he said.
“I struggled in the regular season this year, and I didn't pitch a lot of games because of my elbow injury,” he said of his recent heavy pitching schedule, ”but I feel like I'm coming around. I'm feeling strong.”
“I'm ready to pitch anytime, whether it's in the starting lineup or the bullpen,” he added.
KT has made a lot of preparations for Ko to pitch well on this day.
KT booked a hotel in Suwon as the team's accommodation after the fireworks display in Yeouido, Seoul, on the afternoon of the fifth, which made it difficult to book a hotel in Seoul.
However, the team arranged for a separate room at a hotel near Jamsil Stadium for Ko Young-pyo to maintain his physical condition.
Catcher Jang Sung-woo and coach Lee Kang-cheol also stayed at the same hotel to strategize for the first game of the semifinals on Thursday evening.
Ko had struggled this season with an ERA of 4.95 in six wins and eight losses and a 9.64 ERA in one game against LG due to injuries, but in this game, he shut down the opposing batters with his fresh delivery and skillful ball mix.