Cardinals' Kim Kwang-hyun To Challenge Second Win Against Diamondbacks for the Eleventh Time

▲ This photo provided by Yonhap News shows Kim Kwang-hyun pitching at the Pittsburgh game on June 26, 2021. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

▲ This photo provided by Yonhap News shows Riley Smith pitching a ball (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, June 28 (Yonhap) -- St. Louis Cardinals' starter Kim Kwang-hyun, who is known to suffer from bad luck, will take on his eleventh challenge to win two games of the season.

The South Korean left-hander will start the home game against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2021 U.S. Major League Baseball at the Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri on July 1st 2:15 AM (KST).

Cardinals' manager Mike Shildt announced Wade LeBlanc, Carlos Martinez, and Kim Kwang-hyun as starting pitchers for the three consecutive home games against Arizona starting on the 29th. 

Kim took a four-day rest and will take the mound after starting against the Pittsburgh Pirates on the 26th. The number of pitches were 70 at the time, having no physical burden.

Kim Kwang-hyun, who has not been able to extend his win since his first win over the Cincinnati Reds on April 24th, is attracting public attention on whether he will achieve his second victory of the season on his eleventh try.

The Diamondbacks are considered the weakest one among the Major League Baseball teams.
 

With 22 wins and 57 losses and a 0.278 winning rate this season, the team has the lowest winning rate among major league teams as well as the western division of the National League.

The team is especially weak in away games. They only won 10 games out of 43 away games this season.

Kim Kwang-hyun's former teammate Merrill Kelly from the SK Wyverns (now SSG Landers) of the KBO League ended 24 consecutive away defeats against the San Diego Padres on the 27th.

If Kim Kwang-hyun is lucky enough to make use of Arizona's so-called ‘away jinx’, his chance at a two-win can be expected smoothly.

For Kim, the Diamondbacks are the second showdown of the season.

On May 31, Kim Kwang-hyun started in Arizona and lost with nine hits (one homerun) and one walk and one strikeout and four runs in five innings.

Kim Kwang-hyun started 12 games this season and has one win, five losses and an ERA of 3.98.

Arizona pitcher Riley Smith (26), who will start the game with Kim Kwang-hyun, is a second-year right-hander in the big league.

His performance this season, which went down to the bullpen due to his sluggish performance at the beginning of the season and took the opportunity to start again, is one win, three losses, and an ERA of 5.71.

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