Hanwha infielder Kim Tae-yeon, 26, had the best birthday ever. Lee Min-ho (LG) reaffirmed his status as a killer, leading his team to victory.
Kim batted second in the lineup against LG in the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League at Daejeon Hanwha Stadium on Tuesday and went 2-for-4 with his second home run of the season, three RBIs and a walk to lead Hanwha to a 7-0 sweep.
After being demoted to the second team following a poor start to the season, Kim spent a month in the Futures League making adjustments. After returning to the first team on Feb. 2, he rebounded with a 3-for-3 performance in five games, going 4-for-12 with one home run and three RBIs. He showed good feelings by hitting as a pinch hitter in the last two games before returning to the lineup.
Hanwha manager Choi Won-ho said before the game, “I took out Jung Eun-won and put Kim Tae-yeon at second base. Jung Eun-won looked physically tired after playing a full game. I wanted to give him a day off from batting. Kim Tae-yeon was fine against Lee Min-ho,” Choi said, explaining that the starting lineup was also based on the opponent’s record.
True to Choi’s word, Kim Tae-yeon was absolutely dominant against LG starter Lee Min-ho, going 12-for-16 with six hits, three walks, one hit-by-pitch and four strikeouts. Lee Min-ho was 8-1 with a 2.17 ERA in 13 games against Hanwha, but whenever he faced Kim Tae-yeon, he was hit hard.
Choi’s customized start paid off. Kim Tae-yeon, who led off the first inning with a birthday song from the home fans, flied out to center field but exploded for a two-run home run to left field in the top of the second inning. She took a 143-kilometer fastball from Lee Min-ho high over the wall in left field. It was his second home run of the season, traveling 120 meters. It made the score 4-0.
In the fourth inning, Kim Tae-yeon connected on a five-pitch curveball to left field against Lee Min-ho and continued her dominance, going 8-for-15 with a 5.3 RBI average. After the game, Kim said, “I knew Lee Min-ho was strong. My timing has been good before, and I think it was good that I went in with the intention of hitting a ball that I could hit with confidence today.” 토토사이트
Unable to overcome Kim’s wall, Lee suffered his second loss of the season, allowing five runs on seven hits (one home run) with four walks and three strikeouts in five innings. Kim Tae-yeon continued his three-hit game in the eighth inning, picking off Kim Dong-kyu with the bases loaded. Hanwha also won 7-0, securing the LG Electronics Winning Series with its second straight victory.