LG's Yeom praises Hanwha's never-give-up effort, notes Park Dong-won's costly defensive lapse

[OSEN=Daejeon, Reporter Lee Sang-hak] LG Twins manager Yeom Kyung-yup also praised Noh Si-hwan (25, Hanwha Eagles) for his relentless baserunning.

LG suffered a 1-4 comeback defeat in the Hanwha game in Daejeon on the 26th. They took control with a 1-0 lead through the top of the seventh inning but allowed a four-run big inning in the bottom of the seventh. During this, LG catcher Park Dong-won made a casual defensive error.

With Hanwha trailing 0-1 in the bottom of the seventh and two outs at second and third, third baserunner Noh Si-hwan was caught in a rundown after Ha Joo-seok's bunt toward the pitcher. Noh Si-hwan appeared to give up, heading home with a resigned expression after running back and forth between third and home. Catcher Park Dong-won seemed to tag him out naturally, but Noh suddenly changed direction with a step. The flustered Park tagged Noh, who had twisted his body, but his glove was empty. A late throw to first baseman Austin Dean covering home failed, and Noh's run was upheld after a video review.

Noh's decisive baserunning tied the game, and Hanwha capitalized with pinch-hitter Lee Do-yoon's two-RBI timely hit and Sim Woo-jun's squeeze bunt to add three more runs for the comeback. For LG, the painful defensive error that sparked the collapse left a bitter taste.

Ahead of the Hanwha game on the 27th, Yeom Kyung-yup acknowledged Noh's never-give-up baserunning. "These days, runners often easily die in rundown situations. Some even raise their hands to accept the tag, which isn't a play made with full effort. I never allow that. Hanwha's manager Kim Kyung-moon and baserunning coach Kim Jae-geol have educated their players well. That's something that doesn't require training -- it's conveyed through words," Yeom said.

He added, "It was a situation where anyone would think he was out, but Noh made the best possible play. That's why Hanwha is currently in second place. Teams that easily die in such situations are easier to face," and pointed out, "Park Dong-won thought he was out for sure in the moment. That tiny lapse of complacency made the game difficult."

Yeom, who did not address Park directly about the mistake, said, "Noh used a trick, so Park was caught off guard. If he had focused and tried to tag properly, he would have used both hands. His momentary complacency made him use only one hand," and added, "Park must feel it more than anyone. He's played baseball for over a year or two and knows better than anyone that he made a mistake. This situation itself becomes a lesson for our players."

Meanwhile, LG faced Hanwha's right-handed starter Moon Dong-ju with the following starting lineup: Hong Chang-ki (right fielder), Shin Min-jae (second baseman), Austin Dean (first baseman), Kim Hyun-soo (designated hitter), Moon Sung-ju (left fielder), Koo Bon-hyuk (third baseman), Oh Ji-hwan (shortstop), Park Dong-won (catcher), and Park Hae-min (center fielder). The starting pitcher was right-hander Anders Thorhjort.

Hong Chang-ki, playing right field for the first time since his knee injury, will handle defense. Yeom explained, "Hong also needs to play defense. The training staff suggested it would be better for him to play today since rain is forecast for tomorrow, and the ground might be slippery. He's been running bases, and his knee condition is fine."

Noh Si-hwan's Relentless Baserunning Ties Game