“We struggled with the slower pitches of the other team’s pitchers,” said baseball coach Liu Zhong-il, who encouraged his players after their cold-game victory over Hong Kong in the first group game of the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games, “but we will show our best form tomorrow against Chinese Taipei, when we will have to attack the fastball.”

“The hitters were a little nervous at the beginning of the game, so they couldn’t get the timing of their hits,” Ryu said after defeating Hong Kong 10-0 in the bottom of the eighth inning in their first Group B game at the Shaoxing Baseball and Softball Sports Centre 1 near Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China. “Later in the game, Hong Kong sent out pitchers who threw (relatively) fastballs, and I think we did a good job of getting the timing of our hits.”

On the day, Korea could only manage three runs in the seventh inning as they were unable to take advantage of their opponents’ fastballs in the 80-90 kilometres per hour range.

It was a disappointment as a cold game victory was expected.

Korea’s bats exploded in the bottom of the eighth inning, scoring seven runs to end the game.

“Actually, today’s starting pitcher Won Tae-in (Samsung Lions) was only supposed to go three innings, but the game was tied at one (by the start of the fourth inning), so he was sent out to the fourth inning,” Ryu said, “but it was fortunate that Kim Hye-sung (Kiwoom Heroes), who hit a single in the bottom of the fourth inning, broke through the clog.”

Regarding No. 4 hitter Kang Baek-ho (KT WIZ), who was silent on the day with three strikeouts in four at-bats, including a double, he said, “I don’t think my batting is bad,” and added, “I’m sure I’ll do well tomorrow (against Taiwan) because they have a fastball pitcher.”

“I think Taiwan will start a left-handed pitcher, 바카라사이트 but I don’t think I’ll change the batting order much,” he said, “I’ll meet with the coaches first.”

As for the umpire’s call in the bottom of the third inning, he was left scratching his head.

“(First baseman) Noh Si-hwan (Hanwha Eagles) went past second baseman Choi Ji-hoon (SSG Landers) and was out, but I don’t think the umpire saw it,” Ryu said.

“I think the runners thought it was a hit, but we can’t make that kind of mistake in tomorrow’s game.”

With runners on first and second in the bottom of the third inning with a 1-0 lead, Kang hit a line drive to right field that the Hong Kong right fielder leapt to catch.

Thinking it was a hit, second baseman Choi Ji-hoon ran back to third, and first baseman Noh Si-hwan made a mistake by running full speed to beat Choi to second.

Choi Ji-hoon was called out at second base by a narrow margin, and Noh Si-hwan appeared to be called out as he was unable to get home.

However, the umpire agreed with Korean coach Lee Jong-yeol’s appeal that Choi’s feet were fast and overturned the triple, sending Choi to second base and Noh to the dugout.

The first base umpire then gave a bizarre instruction to send Choi to first base. The umpires mistakenly believed that Noh had come home quickly, and the situation was complicated by the fact that they could not distinguish between Choi Ji-hoon and Noh.

Both Korea and Hong Kong took turns appealing to the umpires, and after a lengthy delay, the game resumed with runners on second and first.

With the victory over Hong Kong, Korea will play their second group game against title rivals Chinese Taipei at the same venue on 2 February. 슬롯사이트