Lions beat Wyverns for 2-0 series lead

Samsung Lions left fielder Bae Young-sub hits a two-run single in the sixth inning in Game 2 of the Korean Series at Daegu Ballpark, Wednesday.

/ Yonhap

By Yoon Chul

When the Samsun Lions were ahead in the seventh inning during the regular season, the champions marked a 65-1-1 record and they proved the stats accurate again in Game 2 of the Korean Series.

Rookie Bae Young-sub hit a two-run single in the team’s 2-1 win at Daegu Ballpark, Wednesday.

The Daegu based team swept both home games for a 2-0 series lead, before heading to Munhak Ballpark, Incheon, for Games 3 and 4 on Friday and Saturday.

Lions’ starter Jang Won-sam pitched brilliantly for 5 1/3 scoreless innings, grabbing 10 strikeouts.

Closer Oh Seung-hwan went to the mound in the eighth inning and grabbed his fifth career save in the Korean Series, the highest number in Korean professional baseball league history.

Wyverns’ starter Yoon Hee-sang previously seemed to be an “innings-eater,” but a sore shoulder after the first inning saw interim manager Lee Man-soo call in relievers earlier than expected.

The relievers — Lee Seung-ho, Brian Gordon and Park Hee-soo — didn’t allow a run until the sixth.

Both sides generated chances but only the Lions succeeded in scoring.

Jang suddenly stumbled failing to pitch out the first at bat and allowing a walk. Park Jae-sang’s double then put runners on second and third.

Jang managed to stop a ground ball from Choi-Jung, keeping the runners in place with one out.

The Lions manager Ryu Joong-il then sent out Kwon Oh-joon, who relegated the next two batters to the dugout with strikeouts.

After overcoming the crisis, the Lions then saw a chance for a run.

Park, the Wyverns’ fourth pitcher of the game, allowed a walk and a hit against two strikeouts.

With runners on the first and second, Lions’ catcher Jin Gap-yong’s hit loaded the bases and rookie Bae hit the two-run single for a 2-0 lead.

In the eighth the Wyverns finally scored. With no outs, Park Jae-sang and Choi Jung reached second and first with a double and a walk, and Wyvern’s slugger Park Jung-kwon hit an RBI-single to make it 2-1.

Lions’ manager Ryu called on reliable closer Oh Seung-hwan — who had one win and 47 saves with .63 ERA during the regular season — to close out the game.

Oh got two outs with a bunt fly and a strikeout, allowing one hit by Choi Dong-soo.

Choi Jung tried for home, but a throw from centerfield took him out before he could reach home.

In the ninth, Oh, still at the mound, ended the game.

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