Rematch of aces set in pivotal Korean Series game

All News 09:59 November 06, 2022

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Nov. 6 (Yonhap) -- With the teams sitting at two wins apiece, it will be a rematch of the homegrown aces in the pivotal fifth game of the South Korean baseball championship round on Monday.

The SSG Landers will bring back left-hander Kim Kwang-hyun to start Game 5 of the Korean Series, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Incheon SSG Landers Field in Incheon, just west of Seoul. The Kiwoom Heroes will counter with the hard-throwing right-hander An Woo-jin.

SSG Landers starter Kim Kwang-hyun pitches against the Kiwoom Heroes during the top of the fourth inning of Game 1 of the Korean Series at Incheon SSG Landers Field in Incheon, 30 kilometers west of Seoul, on Nov. 1, 2022. (Yonhap)

Both pitches started Game 1 last Tuesday, with neither getting a decision in a 7-6 victory by the Heroes in 10 innings.

Kim gave up four runs, two unearned, on five hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings then, though he also struck out six. An was pulled after 2 2/3 innings after a blister in his middle finger popped. He served up a home run and walked two batters, while striking out four.

An would normally have been in line to start Saturday's Game 4 on three days' rest. Instead, they leaned on emergency starter Lee Seung-ho to take that game 6-3 to draw even in the best-of-seven series, and An will now take the mound on regular rest.

An and Kim finished first and second in ERA during the regular season. Kim, a four-time Korean Series champion, will be going after his fourth career win in the championship round, while An is chasing his first.

There had been 10 previous Korean Series in which the two contestants were tied at 2-2, and the team that won Game 5 went on to capture the title on eight occasions.