Foreign Aces… “I won’t use it in the future” Commander’s joke, why?”→Deployment of the strongest enemy in one day, is it really different?
The KT Wiz will be looking to avenge their loss the day before (May 5) with LG Twins’ nemesis, Wes Benjamin.
The KT Wiz will open the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League at home against the LG Twins at 6:30 p.m. on June 6 at KT Wiz Park in Suwon.
The previous day, KT fell to LG 4-5 in a back-and-forth battle that lasted a whopping 104 minutes (1 hour and 44 minutes) before being suspended due to rain. Both teams pulled out all the stops in the highly anticipated matchup, which was billed as a “preview of the Korean Series,” but it was LG who had the last laugh.
By now, KT had lost all three games against Kiwoom over the weekend, adding the previous day’s defeat to their four-game losing streak. Ahead of the midweek series, KT head coach Lee Kang-cheol said, “I hope we can win the series with 2 wins and 1 loss.”
In order to do that, it’s important to take today’s game. The possibilities are there. KT will look to bounce back by starting their vaunted foreign ace, Wes Benjamin.
Benjamin has started 24 games this season, posting a 14-5 record with a 3.96 ERA. In 134 total innings pitched, he has allowed 134 hits (12 home runs), 38 walks, 131 strikeouts, 75 runs (59 earned), a WHIP of 1.28, and a batting average of .252. He had nine quality starts (six innings of three earned runs or less).
But Benjamin has been unusually strong against LGs this season. You could call him an LG killer. In four starts against LG, he is 4-0 with a 0.71 ERA. That’s the best of the eight teams he’s faced this season. Benjamin went 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA against SSG and 1-2 with a 5.65 ERA against NC, but was uncharacteristically strong on the mound against LG. In 25 1/3 innings pitched, he allowed eight runs (two earned) on 14 hits (two home runs) with two walks and 26 strikeouts. His batting average was just 0.154.
KT manager Lee Kang-cheol said of Cuevas before the game, “I won’t use him in the future. I’m going to send him to the bullpen,” he joked before adding, “LG hitters hit well. They hit it like a batting ball.” Cuevas left the mound when the game was suspended due to rain after being rocked for four runs (four earned) on seven hits and two walks with no strikeouts in three innings (56 total pitches) the day before. Cuevas has started three games against LG this season, posting an 11.45 ERA. In 11 innings, he was rocked for 14 runs (14 earned) on 21 hits (two home runs) with three walks and three strikeouts. LG Electronics has a .429 batting average against him. This is why the manager had to make a distressed joke.
The situations of Cuevas and Benjamin are almost opposite. “I hope Benjamin pitches well, he’s another good pitcher. They (LG) will be thinking, ‘It’s time to win. On the other hand, we might be thinking, ‘He’s too good. I think it usually takes 10 years for a hitter to change the feeling of losing to a pitcher.” “I hope Benjamin can break (the losing streak). If we win today, tomorrow’s game will be interesting.” 카지노
Meanwhile, KT’s starting lineup was Kim Min-hyuk (right fielder), Hwang Jae-gyun (third baseman), Alford (left fielder), Park Byung-ho (designated hitter), Jang Sung-woo (catcher), Oh Yoon-seok (first baseman), Lee Ho-yeon (second baseman), Bae Jeong-dae (center fielder), and Jang Jun-won (shortstop). For LG, the starting lineup was Hong Chang-ki (right fielder), Shin Min-jae (second baseman), Kim Hyun-soo (left fielder), Austin (designated hitter), Moon Bo-kyung (third baseman), Oh Ji-hwan (shortstop), Park Dong-won (catcher), Kim Min-sung (first baseman), and Park Hae-min (center fielder). The starting pitcher is Casey Kelida. The matchup between the two teams is being billed as a “preview of the Korean Series” and is attracting the attention of baseball fans. LG leads the league with 68 wins, 43 losses, and two ties. KT is second with 63 wins, 51 losses, and two ties. The two teams are separated by 6.5 games. Which team will come out on top in the second of a three-game midweek series?