It was a well-rested meeting. The starting pitchers shined, but it was the defense that made the difference.
The Doosan Bears and Lotte Giants faced off against each other on the 3rd at Sajik Stadium in Busan.
The two teams were able to play on the third day after both the first and second games were canceled due to rain. The canceled Game 2 was rescheduled for Game 4, meaning the two teams will play a nine-game series, including a doubleheader, through the 10th.
Sixth-ranked Doosan manager Lee Seung-yeop and seventh-ranked Lotte acting manager Lee Jong-woon both said they would “stick to today’s game” as they headed into the first game of the nine-game series.
Brandon Waddell started for Doosan and Charlie Barnes for Lotte. Both were scheduled to start on August 1 and 2, but were unable to do so. He was also scheduled to pitch on August 29 and 30, but was unable to do so due to rain. Eventually, he took the mound well-rested.
The effect of the rest was clear. Brandon pitched six innings, giving up five hits, one walk and four strikeouts. His fastball topped out at 149 mph and he mixed in a cutter (28), slider (20), and changeup (17).
Barnes also dominated the Doosan lineup. Over seven innings, he allowed one run (unearned) on five hits with four strikeouts. Barnes threw a fastball that topped out at 146 kilometers, as well as a changeup (32), slider (26), and two-seam (9).
A classic pitching battle between the starting pitchers. The difference was a single fielding error.
It came from Lotte. In the top of the third inning, Doosan’s leadoff hitter Kang Seung-ho singled. Lee Yoo-chan followed with a grounder to third base, which third baseman Han Dong-hee fielded properly, but the throw to second base was a little off, and the ball fell backwards, allowing Kang Seung-ho to reach third base.
Lee Yoo-chan tried to steal second base, but was blocked by Lotte. Lee was caught between first and second base. Kang Seung-ho, who was on third base, slid into home. The LOTTE defense didn’t get the timing right and it was safe. Lee was out, but that would be the final run of the game.스포츠토토
While Brandon remained on the mound until the sixth inning, Park Chi-guk, Kim Myung-shin, and Jeong Chul-won took turns on the mound and pitched a scoreless inning. Lotte, on the other hand, brought in Koo Seung-min in the eighth after Barnes, but he gave up an RBI single to Yang Ji. Doosan’s wedge.
Doosan started the nine-game series on a high note by securing a 2-0 victory. Brandon split his seventh win (three losses) and Barnes his eighth (nine).