It was definitely a different look from his first start for Jamsil LG Electronics after the trade.”
The Kiwoom Heroes, coached by Hong Won-ki, lost their 14th game of the season against the NC Dinos of the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League 2-8 on April 6 at NC Park in Changwon. The back-to-back losses left them in last place.안전놀이터
Joo Seung-woo, who made his first start of the season, gave up one run on five hits in 2.1 innings, while Yang Hyun, who came on afterward, struggled with four runs on two hits and two walks in one inning and took the loss.
The batting lineup managed eight hits, but it was painful to see trusted table-setters Ronnie Dawson and Kim Hye-sung go hitless in nine at-bats.
However, manager Hong Won-ki saw potential in the loss. He saw potential in Kim Dong-kyu, the team’s fourth pitcher.
In the sixth inning, Kim gave up a hard-hit ball to leadoff hitter Park Gun-woo, but he got Jason Martin to pop up for a double and Kim Sung-wook to swing at a slider. In the seventh, he gave up a leadoff single to Oh Young-soo, but walked Seo Ho-cheol to load the bases and then walked Kim Hyung-joon to put runners on first and second, but Kim Han-byul ended the inning with a strikeout. Kim Dong-kyu pitched two innings of three-hit ball (two walks, one hit by pitch). His pitches were shaky, but he didn’t give up a hit. No-hitter.
Kim Dong-kyu, who came to Kiwoom from the LG Twins via trade in late July, erased a bad start for the Jamsil LG Electronics on August 13, his first start after the trade. In that start, Kim took the loss after giving up five runs on four hits (one home run) and three walks in two innings.
He then spent some time reconditioning in the second team before being called up to the first team on August 3.
Manager Hong Won-ki, who met with the pitcher ahead of the NC game at Changwon NC Park on July 7, said, “It was definitely different from when he started in the locker room after the trade. His fastball was close to 150 kilometers and his control was good. I saw the potential.”
Of course, time will tell. It’s only one game. With a 3-6 record and a 5.71 ERA in 13 games in the Futures League, Kim still has a lot to work on. However, his fastball has a good angle from his tall stature, and his pitching mechanics and end-of-the-ball power are good enough to overpower hitters. He is a player to look forward to in the future.
Meanwhile, Dawson, who batted leadoff on the fifth and sixth, but only managed one hit in nine at-bats, was placed in the first five spots in the batting order after his KBO debut. Manager Hong Won-ki said briefly, “We are checking various possibilities.”
Kiwoom’s lineup will be Lee Hyung-jong (right fielder), Kim Hye-sung (second baseman), Lee Joo-hyung (designated hitter), Kim Hwi-jip (shortstop), Dawson (left fielder), Song Sung-moon (third baseman), Lim Byung-wook (center fielder), Kim Su-hwan (first baseman), and Kim Xiang (catcher). The starting pitcher is Jang Jae-young.