KT Wiz’s rookie pitcher Kim Young-hyun belatedly learned of his first save after receiving a commemorative ball after the game.꽁머니
The match between Hanwha and KT was held at KT Wiz Park in Suwon on the 8th. At the beginning of the ninth, KT led 7-1, and the game seemed to be over soon. KT put Ha Jun-ho, the chaser, on the mound.
However, Ha Jun-ho caused a bases loaded crisis with a walk and a hit ball from 2nd and 1st base, and allowed Jung Eun-won to walk. When it was 7-2, the KT bench hurriedly changed pitchers.
Kim Yeong-hyeon took the mound, and the game ended with a ground ball to the second baseman on the second pitch following the first pitch strike against Kim Tae-yeon. It was a 5-point gap, but the bases were full, so the save requirement was met for Kim Young-hyun. He threw 2 balls and accidentally recorded his first save in his debut.
However, the main character, Kim Young-hyun, did not know about his save. After the game, Ko Young-pyo took care of the commemorative ball. After the game, Kim Young-hyun said, “I warmed up so much that I didn’t really know it was a save situation until (the late) Young-pyo took care of the ball.
” When the bases were filled, he hurriedly warmed up in the bullpen and pitched.
Kim Young-hyun said, “I got a chance to throw in the 1st team after a long time, but I was confident because I prepared well in the 2nd team. When I get on the mound, I only see the mitt of (Jang) Seong-woo and throw it. was the idea,” he said.
Kim Young-hyun, who joined KT in the 2nd 5th round of the 2021 rookie draft (45th overall), made his first-team debut this year.
He made his first appearance in the opener against LG. He had the bitter experience of his first professional game, with 1 out count, 1 hit, 3 walks and 4 runs allowed. Since then, he has been on duty in the pursuit group, going back and forth between the 1st and 2nd divisions.
After throwing in the match against Kiwoom on June 10, he went down to the 2nd team and was called up to the 1st team again in about two months on the 6th. On this day, the 9th emergency appearance was the first game after the call-up. He has a 6.75 earned run average with one save in 17 games (16 innings) this season.
Kim Young-hyun said, “I want to become a player who can be trusted when the coach finds it rather than winning, losing, or holding. I want to become a player who helps the team win. It is important to experience in any situation, and in the end, my goal is to fulfill the task given to me.”
He recalled his parents with the joy of his first save in his debut. Kim Young-hyun said, “I think of my parents a lot, and I want to say thank you. “