Hanwha Eagles right-hander Moon Dong-ju, 20, is a “young gun fireballer” who has fulfilled his potential this season. He has been an integral part of the starting rotation with a 5-6 record and a 3.69 ERA in 15 games up until the Lotte Giants game against Daejeon on June 6. With a fastball in the low 150 kilometers per hour, backed up by a strong changeup, his power increased with each appearance. In six games in June, he went 3-1 with a 2.14 ERA, as good as any ace in the game.
However, he didn’t have a perfect start to July. He was pulled after giving up three runs on six hits in four innings against Lotte on June 6. That’s why his start against the LG Twins in Jamsil on July 12 was so important. He hadn’t lost two games in a row since June, so he needed to finish the first half on a good note. Before the game, Moon Dong-ju’s expression was reserved.
Moon erased his fears with a strong outing that featured a fastball that topped out at 156 kilometers per hour. In 7.1 innings, he threw a career-high 108 pitches (previously 101), allowing one run on five hits and one walk while striking out five. 해외안전놀이터 추천 He led his team to a 2-1 victory and earned his sixth win of the season. It was his first career victory against the LG Electronics, while Hanwha (34-44) won its second straight.
With runners on second and third in the top of the first inning, Moon Hyun-bin’s two-run double down the right field line set the tone for an impressive start. After striking out Hong Chang-ki with a huge drop on a curveball in the bottom of the first, he followed it up with a 147-kilometer-per-hour slider for a swinging strikeout against Kim Hyun-soo.
The rest of the inning was not much different. Except for a double to Hong Chang-ki with two outs in the bottom of the third, he didn’t allow a single runner into scoring position until the seventh inning. Two batters later in the sixth inning, Moon Sung-ju’s hard-hit bunt was picked up and reliably thrown to first base to end the inning, and in the bottom of the seventh, Oh Ji-hwan’s grounder was blocked with all his might for the final out.
The bottom of the eighth was the final straw. After a walk to Moon Bo-kyung and Park Hae-min’s first hit of the day, Shin Min-jae’s mis-hit ball was caught between left fielder Nick Williams and shortstop Do-yoon Lee to load the bases for Kim Bum-soo. Hanwha fans applauded lavishly as Moon made his way to the dugout.
The senior pitchers were also focused and kept Moon in the game. Kim Bum-soo induced Hong Chang-ki to ground out to shortstop to trade a run and an out. Moon Sung-joo then induced Kim Hyun-soo to ground out to second base to preserve the one-run lead. In the bottom of the ninth, reliever Park Sang-won roared to close out the game with only one strikeout. Moon Dong-ju, who had been watching the game nervously, showed his joy with a big smile.