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| Yang Hyun-jong allowed a home run in his first major league demonstration game, but recorded a save. (Video Interview Capture) © News1 |
Yang Hyun-jong (33, Texas Rangers) got a bitter taste when he hit a home run in his first demonstration game in the major leagues. However, the save was harvested as a team victory.
Yang Hyun-jong scored two hits, one home run, one strikeout and one run in the early eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at the Surprise Stadium in Arizona, USA on the 8th at 5:5 am (Korean time). The average ERA is 9.00.
I wanted to cruise with two outcounts, but I allowed DJ Peters a home run. However, in the game played in 8 innings, Texas won 4-3, and Yang Hyun-jong recorded a save.
This is the first time that Yang Hyun-jong, who signed a split contract with Texas on February 13, has reached the mound of a major league game. He left for the United States on February 20, and four days later, he joined the Texas camp as an invited player.
It was a must-see opportunity for Yang Hyeon-jong, who signed a split contract and is in fierce competition. The US media predicted that Yang Hyeon-jong would be listed on the opening roster, but nothing was guaranteed. He had to prove his worth through a demonstration game.
Yang Hyun-jong made the debut as the fifth pitcher of Texas on this day. Mike Poltinevic went out as a starting pitcher and was responsible for up to two innings, followed by Jordan Lyles (1 inning), Kyle Cody (2 innings) and Dane Dunning (2 innings), and the team stepped on the mound in the beginning of the 8th, leading 4-2.
The start was good. She struck out with a powerful direct ball against Sheldon Noyce, who hit a timely hit at the end of the 5th inning. Then, in a two-ball, two strike, Omar Esteves was treated as a center fielder. We checked various pitches such as fastball, slider, changeup, and curve.
If only the third batter Peters was out, he was able to leave a strong first impression with a neat triad. However, Peters struck Yang Hyun-jong’s flat ball of change in a 2-ball 1-strike, throwing a home run over the outfield fence.
Yang Hyun-jong allowed James Outman to hit in the right-middle, but ended the inning with a difficult time catching Elliot Soto with a floating ball at shortstop. The number of pitches was 21.
On that day, Texas beat last year’s World Series championship Dodgers 4-3.
Joey Gallo (1 point) and Rugned O’Door (2 points) had a home run after two runs at the end of the first inning, overpowering the base line, and after two runs at the end of the second inning, Delino De Shields and Ijaeah Kainer Palepa hit doubles in a row. Struck and ran 4-0.
The Dodgers also fought back. In the beginning of the fifth inning, Chris Taylor’s walk and Gavin Lux’s double hits made up for one point with Noyce’s hits at the 2nd and 3rd bases.
In the beginning of the 8th inning, Peters’ home run followed by a 4-3, 1 point difference, but Yang Hyun-jong did not allow the tie. Yang Hyun-jong became a save pitcher, and Korean Dunning, who gave only one walk in two innings, recorded a hold. The winning pitcher was Poltinevic, who blocked two innings perfectly.