‘Two home runs, five RBIs’ captain on leading the nation to 100 wins
“I need to do better”
Doosan Bears’ Yang Seok-hwan started at first base and batted fifth in the lineup against the Lotte Giants of the 2024 Shinhan Bank SOL Bank KBO League at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul, South Korea, and went 2-for-4 with two home runs, five RBIs and two runs scored.
If anyone was the star of the game, it was Seok-hwan Yang. His bat was hot from the very beginning of the game. In the first inning, Yang faced Lotte starter Na Gyun-ahn with runners on second and third after Jung Soo-bin singled and Kang Seung-ho walked. Prior to this game, Yang’s career numbers against Na Gyun-ahn were very weak, with just two hits in 14 at-bats, a .143 batting average, and a .437 OPS. But this game was different.
Yang swung wildly at a 142-kilometer cutter from Na Gyun-ahn in the middle of the strike zone. The pitch stretched out at 167 mph and traveled 126.6 meters for a three-run home run over the left field fence. Yang struck out against Na Kyun-ahn in his second at-bat of the inning, but his bat came alive once again in his third at-bat.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, with the score 5-2 and the bases loaded after Kang Seung-ho singled and stole second, Yang again swung hard at an eight-pitch, 143-kilometer fastball from Na Gyun-ahn. Yang’s blast took a big parabolic arc and once again sailed over the left-field wall in the Jamsil Stadium outfield, and there was no coming back. It was his 10th home run of the season and his fourth straight year with double-digit home runs. Yang was retired in order in his fourth at-bat, but it didn’t change the course of the game.
After the game, Yang “Captain” Seok-hwan, who spearheaded Doosan’s 8-3 victory, presented Lee Seung-yup with a bouquet of flowers to celebrate his 100th victory, then dipped his finger in the cream from the cake the team had made and smeared it on Lee’s face.
After the match, Yang said, “I think it’s encouraging that the team hasn’t had a long losing streak after nine straight wins. The team has definitely gotten stronger. From the young players to the veterans, everyone is doing their part. If we stay 토토 injury-free and keep the good vibes going, I think we can climb the ladder, step by step,” he said after the win.
Yang Seok-hwan, who finished with five RBIs, including two home runs, said, “I’m not too worried about personal records right now. It’s the same with today’s game. The team win is the priority. I need to do better. I hope there will be more games like today where I play well and the team wins,” he said with a smile.
He also congratulated his coach, saying, “Congratulations to coach Lee Seung-yup on his 100th career win. I’m really happy to be here with him, and I’m happy to celebrate with the fans at home. The chairman also came to the ballpark today. Thank you very much for your support,” he said.
Finally, Yang Seok-hwan said, “We were able to win thanks to the passionate support of the fans who filled Jamsil Baseball Stadium. We are always grateful. The fans’ support gives the team a lot of strength. If you continue to support us like this, we will reward you with better performances.”