Entire game starting from the 2nd inning for some reason…
So the Italy’s Fortitudo Bologna just finished playing against the Samsung Lions. I was impressed. Their batters had no issues hitting top Korean pitchers. While the first 2 of their pitchers were were outstanding, going upwards to 147 with good control and some pretty nasty pitches. They said there are 2 Americans in the Italian team, I am not sure which ones. I am guessing it’s C.J. Ziegler (1B) and the starting pitcher of today’s game Bobby Blevins§.
The Italians took a 1:0 lead early, but the game was soon tied at 1:1. The Koreans took the lead at the 5th, leading 2:1. There were plenty of offenses by the Italians, which helped them tie the game at 2:2 in the 7th, but their poor base running cost them. Plenty of opportunities to get ahead squandered by careless running.
There was an 1 out with 1st and 2nd, someone hit a long drive to the right field. Instead of waiting between 2nd and 3rd to see what happens to the ball, the runner charged pass 3rd base before realizing the ball was caught. It wasn’t a really hard ball to catch either. It turned into a easy double play with the runner at least 5 steps away from the base when the ball got to second. Another runner tried to steal second before the pitcher even started to move…
As they entered 8th inning tied at 2:2, 2 out with runner on 2nd, the Italians decided to walk Seok-Min Park to face Seung-Yeop Lee. Perhaps it was because they had a lefty pitcher, so they thought it’d better to pitch against Lee than the cleanup. But it’s Lee Seung-Yeop… Frankly besides the relief pitcher who thought he is a rapper, Lee Seung-Yeop is the only guy I didn’t have to google for his name out of the entire Samsung roaster.
I don’t care if his stats are less impressive this year, you don’t let a pitch pitching 6 straight curveballs to Lee Seung-Yeop. Perhaps if Shin-Soo Choo is hitter clean up for the Koreans, then it makes sense to IBB the guy in front of Lee Seung-Yeop.
This guy really pitches with his cap like this… His name is “An” something rather…
So my hopes of watching the Italians winning over the Koreans is lost. But that’s ok. It was a pretty great game. Still impressed by the Italians. Who’d thought they can hit to the opposite field so well… There was a pretty incredible catch by the center fielder too (Lee Seung-Yeop to the wall) If they work on their base running, and have a better bullpen, then they probably could consistently do pretty well with most professional teams in Asia.
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