Three batters in scoring position…KIA sighs after six straight ‘one-run losses’
Kia’s bats have been exploding since May. The team batting average exploded to 0.279 in the month. As of the 13th, three KIA batters are hitting over .300 in regulation. Choi Hyung-woo (0.316) and Socrates (0.313) are at the top of the batting order, while Ryu Ji-hyuk (0.307) is in and out of the top 10. Lee Woo-seong (0.309) is also hovering around the .300 mark, while Kim Sun-bin (0.298) and Ko Jong-wook (0.298) are also hovering around the .300 mark despite not getting a full plate appearance.
Despite the hot bats, KIA is suffering from a “one-run scare. The team is just 3-7 in 10 games in June. Six of the seven losses were by one run. All six losses have been by one run since a 2-14 drubbing at Lotte on June 2. After suffering a 5-6 final loss to Lotte on the 3rd, they dropped all three games of their home series to SSG on the 6th and 8th, losing by one run for three consecutive days, 2-3 to Doosan on the 11th, and 0-1 to Kiwoom on the 13th. Yang Hyun-jong started the game against Kiwoom on the 13th, and although he appeared to have recovered from his early exit in the previous two games, a throwing error by shortstop Park Chan-ho in the bottom of the first inning led to an unearned run and the bats went silent, leaving Yang with a no-hitter.안전놀이터
The one-run loss doesn’t reflect poorly on KIA’s overall offense. In 10 games in June, the team batted .261, which isn’t bad. In the six one-run losses, KIA scored a total of 20 runs. The hitters are getting hits consistently. However, they don’t convert into runs or hit the ball out of the park in crucial situations.
On top of that, they make a lot of mistakes. In these six games alone, there have been four errors, five failed stolen bases, and four walks. Shortstop Park Chan-ho, who is known for his defense, is especially prone to errors. He has 10 errors this season, three of which came in these six games. All of them have led to runs and have been decisive. The offense isn’t sagging, but the team’s lack of discipline and focus has kept them from overcoming one-run deficits.
KIA continues to hold on to its mid-table position. However, they have not been able to create any upward momentum. After a collective silence in April, the batting seemed to open up in May, but the bitter result of six consecutive one-run losses in June hasn’t made them smile.