 Lions capture third consecutive Korean title
Nederlands
 DAEGU (South Korea) -
Samsung Lions has captured its third consecutive championship title by winning Game 7 of the Korean Series vs. Doosan Bears on Friday-evening (November 1).
Playing in front of a home crowd in Daegu Stadium, the Lions rallied for five runs in the sixth inning to win 7-3 and with that it won the Series 4-3.
The Lions became the first team in history to win the Series after trailing 3-1 after four games.
The title was the seventh in history for the Lions, which also became the first club ever to win both the regular season and the Korean Series in three consecutive years.
It was the first time of these three titles that the Lions won the title at home.
...Rick van den Hurk with the...
...Championship Trophy...
(© Photo: Rick van den Hurk) |
And so, Dutch pitcher Rick van den Hurk has won the championship-title in his first season in the Korean Baseball Organization.
Rightfielder Han-yi Park was named Most Valuable Player of the Series.
When the Lions trailed 3-1 after four games, Park delivered a tie-breaking 2-run single in Game 5 to give his team the lead and force at least a sixth game.
Back in Daegu, Park hit a 3-run homerun in Game 6 leading to victory and making a seventh game needed for the championship-decision.
Today, Park went 3-for-5 and scored three runs.
By winning the title, the Lions also qualified for the Asian Series, which begins on November 15 in Taiwan.
In the top of the first inning, the Bears opened the score off of starter Won-sam Jang.
Jong-wook Lee led off with a double, moved on a sacrifce bunt and scored on a single by Hyun-soo Kim.
In the bottom of the first at bat, the Lions came alongside immediately when Han-yi Park singled and scored on a basesloaded sacrifice fly by Seok-min Park.
The Bears re-took the lead in the third inning.
A walk, single and error loaded the bases with one out, then Eui-ji Yang hit a sacrifice fly to make it 2-1.
In the bottom of the third, the Lions got a runner on base with one out.
A foul pop-fly was then missed by the catcher, but the batter then popped out on the next pitch.
A walk then accounted for another runner, but the Lions stranded two.
In the fifth, the Lions tied the score again.
They got the bases loaded (for the third time this game) off of Yu, who then saw Seok-min Park hit a flyout.
Yu was relieved by Derek Hankins, who was greeted with an RBI-single by Seung-yeop Lee, who was only 3-for-24 in his previous games.
In the bottom of the 6th inning, the Lions broke a 2-2 tie with a 5-run rally off of American Derek Hankins.
After a lead-off single, a strikeout followed, then another singled led to runners on second and third base.
A force play was then set-up by walking the next batter intentionally, loading the bases.
Hyung-woo Choi then grounded to third baseman Won-seok Lee, who threw the ball to the catcher for a force out and a possible double play.
But Lee's throw went errant and hit runner Byeong-gon Jeong, who scored and also enabled Han-yi Park to score, as the ball deflected towards foul territory.
With this, the Lions took a 4-2 lead.
Next batter Seok-min Park then followed with a 2-run single to increase the lead to 6-2.
Tae-wan Kim added an RBI-double to bring in another run and that marked the end for Hankins.
Before this inning, Hankins had pitched 11 1/3 scoreless innings in the postseason for the Bears.
In the top of the seventh inning, after a nice running catch by the centerfielder accounted for the second out, Si-heon Son homered for the Bears, but that would be their last run of the season.
In the ninth inning, closer Seung-hwan Oh took the mound and retired the side to complete the championship game.
It is reported that the New York Yankees have an interest in Oh.
Han-yi Park and Tae-in Chae both collected three basehits for the Lions.
Hyun-soo Kim hit four singles for the Bears.
(November 1)
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