This is what a 30-save career pitcher looks like!
The Kia Tigers and KT Wiz played at Gwangju Kia Champions Field on August 8th. The two teams were unable to score a single run until the 11th inning. It was a breathtaking game that felt like the tense thread was about to break, but it never did.
The balance was broken in the top of the 12th inning. A critical error by Kia second baseman Hong Jong-pyo gave KT a breathing space, and a shaky Kia pitcher Jeon Sang-hyun gave up a two-out, two-run single to Hwang Jae-gyun.
KT could not rest easy. They had already used up their most trusted bullpen of Park Young-hyun, Kim Min-jin, and Kim Min-soo. With one out in the bottom of the 12th inning, it was a heart-pounding save situation. Sung Jae-heon, Lee Sang-dong, and Joo Kwon were on the roster. But Lee Kang-cheol chose the veteran Woo Kyu-min.
In such a nerve-wracking moment, he needed a strong heart that could keep the ball in the zone. Woo, who has been through the wringer, could be the man for the job.
Lee’s choice proved to be a great one.
The former closer had recorded 30 saves for the LG Twins in 2007. He battled the Kia bats with his precise pitches. He gave up a single to Han Jun-soo in the first inning, but calmly retired Park Jung-woo and Park Chan-ho to end the game. His fastball can reach 140 kilometers. His fastball was in “rejuvenation” mode, 파워볼실시간 considering he is underhanded and over 40 years old.
First save of the season. It was also his first save in a KT uniform. It was also his first taste of closing since May 22, 2022, when he recorded a save for Samsung. Coincidentally, it was against KT.
Although the save was a routine for the youngster, it meant a lot to Woo and KT. KT is in the midst of a desperate fall baseball race, and Woo’s save in the third game of a three-game series against Kia clinched the series. The save also gave Woo the confidence to play a more important role in the bullpen for the rest of the season.
Woo joined KT through the second round of the draft before this season. While the passing years could not stop him, and his ego was likely bruised by the fact that he was not included on Samsung’s protected list, he was selected by KT in the first round, signaling that he still had plenty of value as a bullpen pitcher. Although he lost his spot in the closer’s role this season to younger, faster-throwing pitchers, he was still able to fill the role of Altoran consistently and gave KT a big gift when it really mattered with his golden saves.