Hong Chang-gi, Park Byung-ho, and Alford go silent, but will they break out in Game 3 of the Korean Series?
LG down by one run
Game 2 of the 2023 KBO Korean Series between the KT Wiz and the LG Twins at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on August 8. LG Twins third baseman Hong Chang-ki is congratulated in the dugout after scoring on LG's Austin Austin's single with two outs in the third inning.
The key to watching Game 3 of the best-of-seven Korean Baseball Classic (KS-7) at KT Wiz Park in Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, will be when the bats of the two teams' key hitters, Hong Chang-ki (LG Twins) and Park Byung-ho and Anthony Alford (KT), break through.
With one win apiece at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul, LG and KT will meet for the third time on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. with pitchers Chan-kyu Lim (LG) and Wes Benjamin (KT) starting.
KT shut down LG closer Ko Woo-seok in the ninth inning for a thrilling 3-2 win in Game 1 on July 7, while LG rallied from a 0-4 deficit in Game 2 on July 8 to even the score at 5-4 thanks to a dramatic two-run homer by Park Dong-won in the eighth inning.
LG and KT both came from behind in Game 1 and Game 2, as they were unable to score additional runs after taking the lead. LG scored two runs in the first inning of Game 1 and KT scored four runs in the first inning of Game 2.
Oh Yoon-seok plays great defense
Game 2 of the 2023 KBO Korean Baseball Classic between the KT Wiz and the LG Twins at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on August 8.
KT second baseman Oh Yoon-seok celebrates after catching a hit by LG's Hong Chang-ki with one out in the seventh inning.
There are many reasons for the lack of runs, but the silence of LG's No. 1 hitter Hong Chang-ki and KT's No. 3 and 4 hitters Alford and Park Byung-ho cannot be overlooked.
Hong went 0-for-8 with a walk and a strikeout in the two games. Alford went 0-for-6 with a walk and two strikeouts, and Park Byung-ho also went 0-for-8 with a walk and three strikeouts.
Hong Chang-ki, the key to LG's batting lineup, had a frustrated look on his face whenever his pitches went straight to the plate and were caught in the dirt. 19가이드03
Game 2 of the 2023 KBO Korean Series between the KT Wiz and the LG Twins at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on August 8. LG Twins third baseman Hong Chang-ki is congratulated in the dugout after scoring on LG's Austin Austin's single with two outs in the third inning.
The key to watching Game 3 of the best-of-seven Korean Baseball Classic (KS-7) at KT Wiz Park in Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, will be when the bats of the two teams' key hitters, Hong Chang-ki (LG Twins) and Park Byung-ho and Anthony Alford (KT), break through.
With one win apiece at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul, LG and KT will meet for the third time on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. with pitchers Chan-kyu Lim (LG) and Wes Benjamin (KT) starting.
KT shut down LG closer Ko Woo-seok in the ninth inning for a thrilling 3-2 win in Game 1 on July 7, while LG rallied from a 0-4 deficit in Game 2 on July 8 to even the score at 5-4 thanks to a dramatic two-run homer by Park Dong-won in the eighth inning.
LG and KT both came from behind in Game 1 and Game 2, as they were unable to score additional runs after taking the lead. LG scored two runs in the first inning of Game 1 and KT scored four runs in the first inning of Game 2.
Oh Yoon-seok plays great defense
Game 2 of the 2023 KBO Korean Baseball Classic between the KT Wiz and the LG Twins at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on August 8.
KT second baseman Oh Yoon-seok celebrates after catching a hit by LG's Hong Chang-ki with one out in the seventh inning.
There are many reasons for the lack of runs, but the silence of LG's No. 1 hitter Hong Chang-ki and KT's No. 3 and 4 hitters Alford and Park Byung-ho cannot be overlooked.
Hong went 0-for-8 with a walk and a strikeout in the two games. Alford went 0-for-6 with a walk and two strikeouts, and Park Byung-ho also went 0-for-8 with a walk and three strikeouts.
Hong Chang-ki, the key to LG's batting lineup, had a frustrated look on his face whenever his pitches went straight to the plate and were caught in the dirt. 19가이드03
'LG Killer' KT Benjamin "I'm confident that nothing will change"
KT starter Benjamin reverses course
Game 5 of the 2023 KBO League Postseason Playoffs between the NC Dinos and the KT Wiz at Katie Wiz Park in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, on Friday afternoon. KT starting pitcher Benjamin reverses in the first inning.
Wes Benjamin, 30, a foreign left-handed pitcher for the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) KT Wiz, has been labeled a "twin killer.
Benjamin, who donned the KT uniform as a substitute last year, has been particularly formidable when facing the LG Twins.
Benjamin faced LG five times in the regular season this year, going 4-0 with a 0.84 ERA.
In total, he's allowed just three earned runs in 32⅓ innings. He's literally a sniper.
"I think it's because LG has a lot of lefties," Benjamin said in a recent interview with Yonhap News Agency.
He was referring to the common phenomenon of left-handed pitchers being strong against lefties.
However, Benjamin hasn't faced lefties or righties this year.
Benjamin has a .238 wOBA against righties this year and a .242 wOBA against lefties. That's not a significant difference.
Nevertheless, Benjamin has been extremely strong against LG hitters.
Most of their top hitters, including Kim Hyun-soo (0.182), Oh Ji-hwan (0.167), Park Hae-min (0.167), Hong Chang-ki (0.167), Moon Bo-kyung (0.100), Moon Sung-joo (0.000), and Austin Dean (0.091), couldn't get past him.
Of the LG batters who started in Games 1 and 2 of the Korean Series (KS), only Park Dong-won (0.273) had a batting average above double digits against Benjamin. 19가이드03
Game 5 of the 2023 KBO League Postseason Playoffs between the NC Dinos and the KT Wiz at Katie Wiz Park in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, on Friday afternoon. KT starting pitcher Benjamin reverses in the first inning.
Wes Benjamin, 30, a foreign left-handed pitcher for the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) KT Wiz, has been labeled a "twin killer.
Benjamin, who donned the KT uniform as a substitute last year, has been particularly formidable when facing the LG Twins.
Benjamin faced LG five times in the regular season this year, going 4-0 with a 0.84 ERA.
In total, he's allowed just three earned runs in 32⅓ innings. He's literally a sniper.
"I think it's because LG has a lot of lefties," Benjamin said in a recent interview with Yonhap News Agency.
He was referring to the common phenomenon of left-handed pitchers being strong against lefties.
However, Benjamin hasn't faced lefties or righties this year.
Benjamin has a .238 wOBA against righties this year and a .242 wOBA against lefties. That's not a significant difference.
Nevertheless, Benjamin has been extremely strong against LG hitters.
Most of their top hitters, including Kim Hyun-soo (0.182), Oh Ji-hwan (0.167), Park Hae-min (0.167), Hong Chang-ki (0.167), Moon Bo-kyung (0.100), Moon Sung-joo (0.000), and Austin Dean (0.091), couldn't get past him.
Of the LG batters who started in Games 1 and 2 of the Korean Series (KS), only Park Dong-won (0.273) had a batting average above double digits against Benjamin. 19가이드03
