Righty looking to give Bears commanding Korean Series lead

▲ In this file photo from Oct. 28, 2020, Song Myung-gi of the NC Dinos pitches against the Lotte Giants in the bottom of the first inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Sajik Stadium in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)

▲ Kim Min-gyu of the Doosan Bears pitches against the NC Dinos in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 2 of the Korean Series at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on Nov. 18, 2020. (Yonhap)

Korean Series-Game 4 starters

Righty looking to give Bears commanding Korean Series lead

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Nov. 21 (Yonhap) -- The Doosan Bears will start one of their most effective relievers with a sight on taking a stranglehold in the ongoing South Korean baseball championship series Saturday.

The Bears lead the NC Dinos 2-1 in the best-of-seven Korean Series, following a 7-6 victory on Friday at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul.

They will now turn to 21-year-old right-hander Kim Min-gyu to start Game 4, with first pitch at 2 p.m. Saturday at the dome.

A 3-1 series lead will put the Bears in prime position to defend their Korean Series title. Only one team, the 2013 Samsung Lions, has rallied from a 3-1 deficit to take the Korean Series.

Kim Min-gyu has been outstanding out of the bullpen so far this postseason. In Game 2 of this series, Kim nailed down a 5-4 victory by retiring the final two batters in the bottom ninth and stranding two runners. In the previous round, Kim gave the Bears 5 2/3 shutout innings across two games. In Game 2 against the KT Wiz, Kim relieved starter Yoo Hee-kwan after just one out in the first inning, and kept the Wiz off the board for the next 4 2/3 frames to earn his first career postseason win.

Kim made four starts during the regular season and can give the Bears some length. His most recent start was Oct. 16, when he threw 5 1/3 innings against the Kiwoom Heroes.

During the regular season, Kim recorded a save in three appearances versus the Dinos. He held them hitless in 2 1/3 innings.

The Dinos will counter with the 20-year-old right-hander Song Myung-gi.

Song was 9-3 with a 3.70 in 36 games split between the rotation and the bullpen. He was excellent as a starter down the stretch, winning his final six starts with a 2.53 ERA. Game 4 will be his Korean Series debut.

Song faced the Bears four times during the regular season -- three of them in relief -- and went 1-0 with a 4.70 ERA over 7 2/3 innings. He got knocked around for 11 hits, including a home run by Jose Miguel Fernandez.

Kim Jae-hwan and Park Kun-woo had two hits apiece against Song.


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