The memory of the winning streak is there, but the memory of the losing streak is long gone.
Why KT Wiz is scary. No losing streak.
KT’s most recent losing streak was a four-game losing streak from July 6 against LG Electronics in Jamsil to July 9 against KIA in Suwon. Since the win against Kiwoom on July 11, KT has won four straight games, lost three straight games, won seven straight games, lost three straight games, won five straight games, lost three straight games, and won one game.
In other words, since July 11, the team has played 32 games in 45 days, going 26-6 with no losses and a winning percentage of 8.1-1.3.
It’s all about the mound. They have a team ERA of 2.99 during this stretch. The team’s batting average is fourth at 2.176.
메이저놀이터It’s all about starting pitching. Out of 32 games, the starting pitchers have thrown 23 quality starts. The second-ranked Samsung Lions have done so 16 times. They have 14 quality starts plus, which is more than double the second-place Doosan Bears’ seven. KT is creating the ideal game that every manager wants: long, steady pitches from the starters, runs from the bats, and shutouts from the bullpen.
The game against Busan Lotte on the 25th was important. The previous day, the team had suffered a disappointing upset loss against KIA. KT entered the eighth inning with a 3-2 lead, thanks to a seven-inning, two-run performance by starter Ko Young-pyo. Naturally, set-up man Park Young-hyun and closer Kim Jae-yoon would close out the eighth and ninth innings to end the game.
But Young-hyun Park gave up a walk to Chan-ho Park, then allowed a stolen base and a double to Choi Hyung-woo to tie the game at 3-3. And in the top of the ninth, Kim Jae-yoon gave up a two-run double to Chan-ho Park with the bases loaded. A 3-7 loss.
Even though the game was played according to the scenario of victory, the loss of Park Young-hyun and Kim Jae-yoon, the two most trusted players, was more shocking than just a loss.
If the repercussions of this loss were to continue against Lotte on the 25th, the team could have fallen into a losing streak.
It was important to see how starter Wes Benjamin pitched, and the anxiety grew in the bottom of the first inning when Benjamin, who had runners on first and second with one out, misplayed a ground ball in front of Jeon Jun-woo’s pitcher.
However, KT tied the game at 1-1 in the second inning on an error, scored a run in the fourth inning on two RBI singles by Hwang Jae-gyun and Alford to take a 2-1 lead, and scored another run in the eighth inning on a double by Kim Sang-soo and an RBI single by Jang Jang-woo to win the game 3-1. Benjamin earned the win with six innings of four-hit, one-run (unearned) ball, while Son Dong-hyun, Park Young-hyun and Kim Jae-yoon each pitched one inning of relief to preserve the victory. There were no back-to-back losses.
With no losing streaks, fans are now forced to pay attention to the next game when KT loses. Which team will end KT’s losing streak?