Park Young-hyun topples KT's core bullpen in Game 2 of the Series
Park Dong-won 'thrilling reversal!'
Game 2 of the 2023 KBO Korean Series between the KT Wiz and the LG Twins at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Monday. LG's Park Dong-won, second baseman, celebrates after hitting a two-run home run in the eighth inning.
LG Twins catcher Park Dong-won (33) hit his first career Korean Series home run.
It was a thrilling come-from-behind two-run shot that saved LG from a corner.
It was also a shot toward his dream of becoming a championship catcher.
Trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the eighth inning of Game 2 of the Korean Baseball Organization's World Series at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on Monday, Park Dong-won took a 124-kilometer-per-hour changeup from KT Wiz bullpen reliever Hack Young-hyun and drove a two-run arch over the left-center field wall.
Park, who had pitched six scoreless innings in five games in this year's postseason, also fell victim to Dong-won's desperate swing.
The ball traveled 122 meters at 166 kilometers per hour.
From the moment the bat and ball crackled to the moment Park rounded the bases and crossed home plate, LG fans erupted in a "yellow wave" of cheers.
Park's game-winning blast gave LG a 5-4 victory.
Park was named the Daily MVP of Game 2 of the Korean Series and received $1 million in prize money. 슬롯
Park Dong-won's game-winning home run in the bottom of the eighth inning
Game 2 of the 2023 KBO Korean Series between the KT Wiz and the LG Twins at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, South Korea, on April 8. LG's Park Dong-won, second baseman, celebrates after hitting a game-winning two-run home run in the eighth inning. Coach Lee Jong-beom is on the left.
After the game, Park Dong-won said, "When I came to bat in the eighth inning, I looked at the third baseman. I wanted to survive, so I thought about a surprise bunt, but I did a good job of hitting it hard," he laughed, adding, "Park Young-hyun has a good pitch, so I paid attention to the timing so that the bat wouldn't be pushed, and my swing came out well." He recalled the thrilling moment.
After the home run, Park returned to the dugout and hugged all the LG players, including manager Yoon Kyung-yup.
"It was exhilarating. "I was so happy, I felt like I was going to cry. My teammates hit me so hard, I think my tears might have pooled a little from the pain," he joked, recalling the moment of joy.
On the day, Park worked with eight LG pitchers in a battery rotation to keep the game scoreless.
"Our bullpen pitched better than in the regular season," he said. In the regular season, we have 'opposite pitches,' but today we had good pitches," he said. "It won't be easy because they keep seeing new pitchers. Our pitchers have different pitches, so I felt comfortable with them," he said.
