On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 228

The next batter up is catcher Jung Yong-wook.

Jung Yong-wook took a mighty swing at the first pitch, a fastball, aiming to send it out of the park, but it only reached the warning track.

“Tch, Kim Jamsil.”

Jung Yong-wook clicked his tongue in frustration.

Even with the wind, he couldn’t get the ball over the center field fence.

He was disappointed with the result, but it reinforced his understanding of what Pisi was relying on to make such quick decisions.

Bottom of the 4th inning, GOAT’s at-bat.

Leading off is Seol Jin-il.

Jung Yong-wook signaled for a changeup on the first pitch to Seol Jin-il.

A changeup, just outside the strike zone.

Roy Schever went into his windup and threw the ball with everything he had.

The pitch was a little too centered, but it came in low and with good movement.

Seol Jin-il swung upward at the ball, almost like a golfer.

“Left field! It’s going, going, gone! Seol Jin-il with a solo home run! He connects on the first pitch!”

“Seol Jin-il! Unbelievable on the first pitch. There’s a reason they call him the ‘first-pitch killer.'”

“He launched that first-pitch changeup for a home run! Did Seol Jin-il always have this kind of power? He’s hitting home runs in Jamsil like it’s nothing.”

Roy Schever was sweating heavily, despite it being autumn.

Seol Jin-il definitely has some pop in his bat, but he’s more of a gap hitter than a true home run threat.

A home run to lead off the inning in Jamsil.

He was annoyed and angry, but he couldn’t dwell on it.

The next batter is Song Seok-hyun.

With no outs, the bench signaled for the hit-and-run.

Jung Yong-wook relayed the sign.

‘Four-seam fastball, outside.’

It was the first pitch after the home run.

They needed to throw a safe pitch outside and gauge the batter’s reaction.

Roy Schever put even more force behind the ball.

The pitch was just a hair outside the edge of the strike zone.

Jung Yong-wook thought it was a ball, but not a bad first offering.

Until it was crushed for another home run.

Bang!

The bat snapped around and connected with the ball.

Immediately, the ball rocketed high into the sky like a missile.

Jung Yong-wook instinctively looked up to track its flight.

“Fence!”

The ball, soaring high above, cleared the fence and landed in the stands.

The ball left Jamsil Stadium.

“Song Seok-hyun with a back-to-back home run! And it’s an absolute bomb! 3-0! The GOAT offense is finally exploding! Living up to their name! Song Seok-hyun breaks the silence with another home run!”

“I don’t think ‘amazing’ even begins to describe it. I can’t believe he hit that ball like that. This is Jamsil! But it doesn’t feel like Jamsil anymore.”

“GOAT is completely dominating on their home field. The Pegasus hits can’t even reach the Jamsil fence, but GOAT’s are sailing over it with ease. It’s like Jamsil Baseball Stadium only allows GOAT to hit home runs. Is this the definition of home-field advantage?”

The Pegasus players were stunned by the back-to-back home runs in Jamsil.

Kim Wook even closed his eyes in disbelief.

“Some of us can’t even get it to the wall, and that guy just does that?”

Starting pitcher Roy Schever was in shock.

It was only 3 points.

It was only 3 points, but he already felt defeated.

Back-to-back home runs.

There’s nothing more demoralizing for a pitcher than giving up a home run.

Back-to-back is twice as bad.

He didn’t think it could get any worse.

Until Yoo Seon-ho hit another home run.

“Back-to-back-to-back! Yoo Seon-ho! Crushes a solo home run! A monster shot to break out of his slump! The score is 4-0!”

“GOAT’s firepower is just… incredible. I think this is the best lineup ever assembled. Kim In-hwan is out, but they still have this much power. Choi Jae-wan is also missing, but they’re still crushing the ball. Even without their starting first baseman and third baseman, they’re bombarding the opponent.”

“Back-to-back-to-back! Roy Schever is finally being pulled from the game.”

“It’s only 4 points, but the damage from those home runs is devastating. And the fact that he’s getting hit hard on fastballs is a very bad sign. It’s the right move to take him out now.”

Pegasus manager Choi Seong-yeon let out a hollow laugh.

So, they have some punch.

A chilly autumn breeze brushed against his cheek.

Seol Jin-il and Yoo Seon-ho definitely benefited from the wind, especially Song Seok-hyun’s home run.

Without the wind, it would have been close, and if it had been blowing in, it wouldn’t have gone over the fence.

But some Pegasus hitters can’t even get it to the wall under the same conditions, so he couldn’t be too envious.

Since Pegasus plays at Suwon Stadium, they didn’t necessarily need hitters who hit towering home runs like Kim In-hwan and Song Seok-hyun.

If it were Kim Han-seong, he would have easily cleared the fence even in Jamsil, but even Kim Wook or Kim Seong-hyun can easily hit home runs in Suwon.

Kim Wook had even been a home run king, but Jamsil was a different beast.

“A brief return to glory, is it?”

GOAT had been struggling throughout the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th games.

Even if they hit a few home runs in the 5th game, it doesn’t necessarily change the overall trend.

The score is still only a 4-point difference, and there are plenty of innings left.

If they happen to lose today, Pegasus still has two more chances in the 6th and 7th games.

Pegasus is in a favorable position if they just relax and stick to their game plan.

Jang Ji-hoon, who came in after Roy Schever was pulled, prevented any further runs.

No score for either team in the 5th and 6th innings.

Pisi kept his promise and pitched a shutout for 6 innings before being relieved.

Top of the 7th inning, Pegasus’s at-bat.

GOAT’s bullpen pitcher Jung Hong-min gave up a solo home run to Kim Han-seong.

“Kim Han-seong with a solo home run! The score is 4-1! Pegasus still has a lot of baseball left to play!”

“They’re chipping away at the lead. GOAT must be getting nervous, right? A 3-point lead can disappear with one swing.”

Ham Seong-hoon reacted immediately.

He pulled Jung Hong-min and brought in Lee Baek-chan.

Lee Baek-chan struck out the 4th, 5th, and 6th batters in order, living up to Ham Seong-hoon’s expectations.

“Ha.”

Pegasus manager Choi Seong-yeon clenched his fist.

If they don’t capitalize on their offensive opportunities, Pegasus will be in trouble.

Bottom of the 7th inning, GOAT’s at-bat.

Lead-off hitter Yoo Seon-ho homered on the first pitch.

“Yoo Seon-ho! Another solo home run! Yoo Seon-ho’s bat is on fire today!”

“If this keeps up, it’ll be difficult to intentionally walk Song Seok-hyun and pitch to Yoo Seon-ho. If Yoo Seon-ho gets hot, he’ll be as dangerous as any hitter in the league.”

“The score is 5-1. Pegasus is looking pretty lifeless today.”

“A player like Yoo Seon-ho doesn’t take long to find his groove, and once he does, he’s a force to be reckoned with. It feels like he’s heating up a little late, but if Yoo Seon-ho stays hot like this, anything can happen in the 6th and 7th games.”

Choi Seong-yeon’s neck tightened slightly.

Even if they lose today’s game, they still have two games left.

They’re not lacking in talent or momentum.

And with today being the last game in Jamsil, the next two games are in Suwon.

Pegasus has a distinct advantage in the 6th and 7th games playing at their home stadium.

GOAT loses everything if they lose just one more game, while Pegasus still has two chances.

Desperate tactics are always possible, but the team that’s chasing is at a disadvantage.

“Pitcher change.”

Choi Seong-yeon wasn’t giving up on the game just yet.

Another pitcher change after giving up a home run.

Both teams made quick pitching changes and headed into the 8th and 9th innings.

Top of the 9th inning, GOAT’s pitcher is Kim Jung-ryul.

The lead-off batter is Jung Yong-wook.

Jung Yong-wook saw a sharp sinker, a slider that darted away, and a rising curveball before striking out.

“No way. I can’t hit him.”

As Jung Yong-wook predicted, the next batters couldn’t figure out Kim Jung-ryul’s pitches and struck out, and struck out again.

GOAT won the game 5-1.

“Yes!”

“We won!”

“See! I told you we could do it!”

The GOAT players erupted in cheers.

Korean Series Game 5, 5-1 victory.

The GOAT fans finally breathed a collective sigh of relief.

The MVP of Game 5 was Pisi.

Yoo Seon-ho, who had hit two home runs, also applauded Pisi’s MVP performance.

Choi Seong-yeon’s steps were heavy after the lackluster defeat.

The good news was that they had two games at home after a day off tomorrow.

They needed to break the opponent’s momentum and play in a place that gave them an advantage.

With GOAT missing their ‘Po’ [short for Power, referring to a power hitter] and ‘Cha’ [short for Charisma, referring to a charismatic player], he expected an easier time in the 6th and 7th games.

“It’s definitely… not going to be easy.”

Choi Seong-yeon shook his head and disappeared down the hallway.

* * *

A day of travel and rest.

The GOAT players were more grateful for the rest they could get, even for a day, than disappointed that they couldn’t capitalize on their momentum.

“Ah, I really need to step up.”

Kim In-hwan sat in the corner of a neighborhood cafe and grumbled incessantly.

“It’s okay. We’re winning even without you.”

Kim In-hwan gave Kim Jung-ryul a dumbfounded look at the consolation.

“Do you think that’s supposed to be comforting?”

“What else am I supposed to say? What? You want to fight?”

“Hyung [older brother or senior], seriously… ha.”

“You can’t play anyway. Just cheer us on. What else can you do? If you’re upset, don’t get hurt next time.”

“I know, I know.”

“Is your wife very disappointed?”

Kim In-hwan shook his head.

“No. She was happy.”

“She was happy?”

“She just said we have more time together…”

“Oh my, lucky you.”

“Hyung, aren’t you having a good time?”

“We’ve been together for so long that it feels like an old married couple. There’s no excitement anymore.”

“This guy is the definition of excitement.”

Kim In-hwan pointed to Song Seok-hyun.

Song Seok-hyun sipped his coffee and widened his eyes in surprise.

“Why me?”

Kim Jung-ryul sighed deeply while looking at Song Seok-hyun.

“These guys, seriously. Thinking about it, it’s really annoying. Why are you two getting married before me? Don’t you know the order of seniority?”

Song Seok-hyun said in a barely audible voice.

“You know we have to do it as soon as possible…”

“That’s right. That’s why I’m even more pissed. I’m already annoyed that In-hwan is ahead of me, but how are you getting married first? Does that mean your child will be the oldest?”

“Even if the seniors have kids this year, everyone will be the same age next year.”

“I was planning to enjoy being newlyweds for a while and then have a baby, but you two are speeding things up, ha.”

Kim In-hwan said.

“But their baby might be born first, why are you so worried about that?”

“Why am I worried? It’s unfair. I feel like I’m falling behind. What’s the rush for you guys to even be making wedding preparations and getting married?”

Song Seok-hyun lowered his head apologetically.

“I’m sorry. I’ll make sure to give you a generous wedding gift.”

“It’s okay? I’m planning to give you the same amount you give me, so it’ll even out.”

“Then I’ll get you some herbal medicine.”

“Hey, are you treating me like an old man? I’m still healthy. I’m very healthy every morning.”

“Oh, congratulations.”

Kim Jung-ryul narrowed his eyes at Kim In-hwan’s sarcastic congratulations.

“I feel really bad when you say that.”

“Why?”

“Why? Just… I feel bad!”

While Kim In-hwan and Kim Jung-ryul were bickering, Song Seok-hyun slid his phone across the table.

“An article just came out saying that Pegasus is issuing a total standby order for their pitchers tomorrow. They’re mobilizing everyone except Kim Seong-hoon and Schever?”

As soon as the two saw the article, they quickly became serious.

“Ha. I guess they’re planning to end it in the 6th game.”

“They’re making a move. Are they trying to break our momentum before it really gets going?”

Kim Jung-ryul pointed to Song Seok-hyun.

“Are you confident for tomorrow? You need to hit about three home runs.”

“I can only hit a home run if they actually pitch to me.”

“They’re going to pitch to you tomorrow. Seon-ho hyung is also hitting well.”

“Home runs also require some luck-”

“Hey, hey, hey. If we lose tomorrow, there is no tomorrow. We have to win no matter what. You have to make up for In-hwan’s absence, okay?”

Song Seok-hyun licked his lips nervously.

“Anyway, I’ll do my best. I really want to win the Korean Series too.”

“Why?”

Song Seok-hyun was momentarily flustered and stammered.

“Because I want to repay the fans’ love, and, well… it’s our team. We have to win.”

“You’re full of team spirit. I want to retire after winning the championship at least once. Help me out, Seok-hyun.”

“I’ll try to carry us by the collar tomorrow.”

“Just get us a 1-point lead. I’ll take care of the rest from the bullpen. And In-hwan, you go to the cheering section and cheer your heart out.”