 Lee Byung-kyu, right, of the LG Twins celebrates with members of the Western team Saturday after hitting the game winning RBI-single in a 5-4 victory over the East in the All-Star Game at Jamsil ballpark, Seoul. / Yonhap |
By Yoon Chul
LG Twins slugger Lee Byung-kyu shone in the 30th KBO All-Star Game Saturday at Jamsil ballpark, Seoul.
Lee hit a game winning RBI-single in the extended 10th inning in a 5-4 victory for the Western team. He went on to receive the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.
It is his first to be named the All-Star Game MVP in his 14-year career winning 34 of 42 votes from reporters.
Whereas victory in the Major League Baseball (MLB) All Star Game is used to determine home field advantage in the World Series, the KBO version has no such significance.
But Korea’s best players divided into Western (Kia Tigers, Nexen Heroes, Hanwha Egles, Twins) and Eastern sides (Doosan Bears, Samsung Lions, Lotte Giants, SK Wyverns) battled hard.
Through the nine regular innings the scores were tied at 3-3 and led to a tie breaker.
In baseball this means automatically putting runners on first and second base in the extra innings.
It was used for the first time in the Beijing Olympics in 2008 but it is not used in competitive MLB or KBO games.
The Eastern team scored one run in the top of 10th.
With men on first and third a groundball to second by Park Jung-kwon of the Wyverns allowed a runner to make it home for a 4-3 lead.
Giants captain Hong Sung-heon was at bat with the bases loaded but his groundball to shortstop ended the inning with a double play.
The outlook for the Western team at the bottom of 10th was bleak.
Lions closer Oh Seung-hwan, the — leading closer in the KBO with 26 saves, collected the first two outs from the Tigers’ hitting machine Lee Yong-kyu and Yoo Han-joon of the Heroes.
However, the Twins’ Jung Sung-hoon hit an RBI-single to level the game and Lee hit a ball into no-man’s land between the third baseman, shortstop and left fielder to give the Western side the victory.
The West scored first as Tigers leadoff hitter Lee Yong-kyu had a double and teammate Lee Bum-ho hit for a score and All-Star MVP Lee, hit another RBI-double for a 2-0 lead in the first.
In the second Twins catcher Cho In-sung increased the lead with a solo home run.
In the top of fourth, the East started a counterattack. With men on first and third Jung Keun-woo of the Wyverns sent the ball to the front of the wall on a fly calling the runner on third home and Choi Hyung-woo hit a two-run homer in the fifth.
Before the sixth inning got underway there was a break for the home run derby final in which Park Jung-kwon of the Wyverns beat Choi Hyung-woo of the Lions.
Park made the final after hitting six homers in the preliminary on Friday while Choi tied for second with Lee Byung-kyu and Kang Jung-ho with three, advanced following a sudden death round.
Choi only managed to send three balls over the fence while Park hit seven.
“As I was appearing at the All-Star Game for the first time, I just tried to enjoy it. But I had a good result and I am very happy,” said Park.
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