Pitcher’S End, Batter’S Start [EN]: Chapter 128

Pitcher Done, Batter Up – 127

The Braves showed no mercy to their underestimated opponents.

True to their reputation as one of the league’s top pitchers,

Starting pitcher Iwakuma Takeshi allowed several hits but managed to keep the score to 3 runs through 6 innings, recording a quality start [a game in which a starting pitcher pitches at least six innings and allows no more than three earned runs], albeit below expectations, before leaving the mound in relatively decent shape…

The problem came after that.

“What the hell is this….”

“You sons of bitches! Give me my money back, you bastards!”

“What are you doing right now! It’s the postseason! Get your heads in the game!”

Citizens Bank Park was filled with criticism and curses.

In truth, that wasn’t much different from when the game had just started.

The difference was that the target of those shouts was now the Phillies, not the Braves.

For the fans who had bought tickets, staying up all night with anticipation for the first game of the postseason,

Or those who had bought scalped tickets for several, no, dozens of times the price,

The current game was beyond unsatisfactory; it was infuriating.

Those watching on TV either changed the channel or unleashed a torrent of curses.

Occasionally, some of the more agitated ones threw their remotes at the TV, shattering the screen.

“They’re leaving in droves.”

“If you watched until the 8th inning, you’d get the picture, right? No chance of a comeback.”

“It’s better to do that than ruin your mood watching the game.”

Citizens Bank Park, once packed like sardines, now had sparse empty seats.

It was only after the game that it was revealed that several trash cans in and around the stadium had been smashed.

It was practically inevitable, given how badly they were getting hammered from the start of the game.

It was the Atlanta Braves, a team in the same division, no less.
A team that had often tripped them up during the regular season, even sparking a fiery bench-clearing brawl.

[The score is now 7 to 0. The momentum… has shifted severely.]

[Actually, the Braves had the upper hand from the beginning of the game. But this score… it’s decisive.]

[Yes, that’s probably right.]

To suffer a humiliating 9 to 0 defeat at home against such a team.

The passionate, or rather, short-tempered, Philadelphians [a common nickname for Phillies fans] couldn’t stand it.

Nor could they humbly accept the current miserable defeat.

[There are still offensive opportunities in the bottom of the 8th and 9th innings. But there are already many empty seats.]

[Perhaps continuing to watch the game itself feels painful. I understand.]

[Yes, but still, Phillies! It’s too early to give up! Even though there are empty seats, many home fans are still watching? You must do your best until the end!]

[At least avoid a shutout; it will make the next game easier. You have to do your best until the end.]

The commentators, bored with the one-sided game, tried their best to liven up the atmosphere.

In reality, even though quite a few spectators had left, many people still remained in the stadium.

Some hadn’t given up on the slightest hope until the end.

Others were watching the game with gritted teeth because they felt it was a waste of money.

Nevertheless, there were still many spectators.

That’s why the Phillies players tried to exert their power until the end, even in the midst of the shaking situation, but…

Lee Jung-woo, the mastermind behind this tragedy, erased even their last lingering hopes.

####

[Yes, now it’s the top of the 9th. The Braves’ final attack. The batting order starts from number 9.]

Top of the 9th.

Lee Jung-woo stepped up to his fifth at-bat of the game.
Two hits had already been made before him, filling first and second base.

[Batter number 2, Jung-woo Lee, steps up to his fifth at-bat. In this game, he has 3 hits in 4 at-bats, 3 RBIs, and 1 walk, recording a double and a triple respectively.]

[He is the mastermind behind the tragedy that occurred at Citizens Bank Park today.]

[Yes, thanks to his timely hit in the top of the 1st inning, the Braves seized the momentum by scoring the first point much earlier than expected.]

‘Those eyes are fierce.’

As Lee Jung-woo stepped into the batter’s box,

Tens of thousands of eyes were focused on him.
People glared at him as if they wanted to stab him to death right away.

Even Peterson, who had shown tremendous power with 3 hits and 1 home run in today’s game,

didn’t receive this level of animosity.

They knew it too.

Even excluding the stats.

Who was the most heinous bastard.

‘Don’t let your guard down. Stay calm and go as usual.’

The victory or defeat was as good as decided,

But Lee Jung-woo didn’t let his guard down until the end.

He stepped into the batter’s box as if nothing was different from usual.

As if the game had just started.

Perhaps that was even more annoying.

The catcher glared at him.

“You son of a bitch….”

A low whisper.

Even though the sound was small,

The umpire seemed to have heard it because it was loud enough to hear.
Lee Jung-woo also clearly heard it, but he ignored it lightly.
Lee Jung-woo didn’t feel the need to respond, and the umpire didn’t want to escalate things in this atmosphere.

And…

‘He’s going to cry, he’s going to cry.’

The catcher’s eyes were full of venom, but ridiculously, his eyes were bloodshot.

Seeing such a pathetic figure, the thought of provoking him disappeared.
Lee Jung-woo fixed his gaze on the mound and let the catcher’s words, muttering in self-reproach and guilt, flow out of one ear.

‘But is it not coming down?’

The pitcher guarding the mound was steeped in tension.

He hadn’t gotten a single out yet, but he had already sent out two runners.

It was natural for him to sweat.

‘The bottom of the 8th was also wasted in vain. All that’s left is the bottom of the 9th. They wouldn’t want to waste their main bullpen for nothing.’

Lee Jung-woo also understood the pitcher’s feelings because he had occasionally gone out as a mop-up pitcher, even though he was mostly a fill-in starter.

One side of his heart was uncomfortable for no reason, but that was it.

“Ball.”

‘Four-seam, 91 miles. The control is also shaky. The quality is also lacking.’

Lee Jung-woo twisted his bat.

The pitcher threw a very hittable ball.

So good that it was a shame to just let it pass.

“Do it moderately and get the hell out.”

“Get out to where? We have a game here tomorrow too.”

As Lee Jung-woo took his full batting stance, the catcher got annoyed for no reason.

The pitcher’s face also visibly contorted.

He was a pitcher who needed a poker face, and he had roughly maintained it in previous at-bats, but now he couldn’t hide his emotions.

That’s how nervous he was, and Lee Jung-woo decided to end his struggle with his own hands.

‘If it comes similarly, I’ll send it flying.’

Several hesitations.

The pitcher, unable to be sure of his own thoughts, fiddled with the ball in his hand for a long time.

Then, suddenly, he threw a pitch.

As expected, it was light and absurd.

“Ball.”

‘82 miles. A changeup, but… it’s too bland. And it’s low.’

Lee Jung-woo checked the catcher’s mitt position.

It was low even when looking directly at it. Looking at the catcher’s mitt position, it was two and a half balls away from the existing strike zone.

No, it was easily three.

It seemed to have slipped out of his hand.

Lee Jung-woo licked his lips.

At this level, no matter what course it takes, if the timing is right, I can get it over.

“Time.”

Perhaps the catcher made the same judgment.

He called time and immediately ran to the mound.

While the Phillies battery [the pitcher and catcher] exchanged conversation or encouragement,

Lee Jung-woo, who had briefly stepped out of the batter’s box, scanned the stadium.

Numerous spaces came into view. Countless faces were seen.

The Phillies home fans who hated him. The fielders with eyes that wished for the game to end even a little faster.

The Phillies manager chewing gum like crazy on the bench.

When it started,

Citizens Bank Park was lively like a wriggling fish.

Now, it was faint like a person on their deathbed.

‘Looking at the atmosphere, if I hit one, it will definitely be a KO, no, a killshot.’

Having set his goal, Lee Jung-woo bounced his body as usual, tapped the bat on the ground, and then stepped back into the batter’s box.

In the meantime, the catcher, who had gathered his mind, returned to his position, leaving the pitcher with a determined look on the mound.

Normally, he would have poked him with a few words for no reason, but he held back because his eyes were so fierce that a fist might fly.

‘Now it’s two balls. He’ll want to get a strike up if possible. Twist it with a breaking ball? Or will he try to put it in the zone confidently? Either way, it doesn’t matter.’

Lee Jung-woo waited for the pitcher.

He took several breaths and threw the ball forcefully, trusting his left arm.

The left arm was stretched out to the side and swung like a whip.

The messy pitching form had definitely improved.

Perhaps the catcher’s encouragement worked well.

However.

Crack!

Lee Jung-woo simply shattered that effort.

The moment the ball hit,

The pitcher showed dying eyes like a fish on a seafood market stall and froze.

Usually, when hit with a home run, they lower their upper body, look at the sky, or, if they have a strong mentality, act indifferently.

But the current pitcher just froze like a stone statue.

And that was the same for the catcher.

[Jung! Woo! Lee! Three-run!]

[The ball goes over the fence – hitting the stands! The catcher is frozen in his catching stance, like someone waiting for a ball that will never return!]

Having delivered the final blow to the Phillies battery, Lee Jung-woo trudged around the bases.

He ran as fast as possible to avoid provoking the home fans.

It was only after returning home that Lee Jung-woo realized.

That there was no need to do that.

Whether he ran quickly or slowly, admiring the batted ball, the spectators would not have reacted in any way.

Citizens Bank Park was already dead the moment the batted ball went over.

“We won.”

“Yeah, we definitely won.”

Derek smiled broadly and slapped Lee Jung-woo on the back.
Lee Jung-woo, as if used to it,

Entrusted his body to his teammates.

Hoping that they would hit him a little softer. Of course, that didn’t work out as well as the Philadelphians’ prayers.

After the Braves’ final attack ended, the bottom of the 9th came.
The Phillies barely avoided a shutout with a leadoff home run.
It was as if CPR had been administered, but the corpse named Philadelphia Phillies had long been cold.

Even that was only once.

The pitcher, unshaken by the surprise home run, cleanly erased the bottom of the 9th.

[Derek Hunt catches and throws to 1st base – Yes, as it becomes an out. With a score of 10 to 1, the first game of the division series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves ends with a great victory for the Braves.]

That’s how the Braves won.

Probably the next game too.

Maybe even the one after that.

####

[NLDS) PHI vs ATL, Shocking Defeat at Phillies Home!]

[‘Fans Want Answers!’ Why Did This Happen?]

[Iwakuma Takeshi, ‘I Made a Bad Start. I’m Just Sorry to the Fans.’]

[‘Will It Affect the Upcoming Series?’ Even Experts Are Shocked!]

Even after the game ended, the Phillies were constantly being beaten.

Articles, columns, interviews. All media outlets, including TV programs, attacked them.

Reporters, who had prepared articles in advance in a situation where the outcome was certain and were leisurely resting, hurriedly uploaded revised manuscripts due to the shocking defeat.

The attacks continued without ceasing.

The impact of the defeat, which was so shocking, especially since it occurred in the postseason, continued until the next day.

[Ah, the Phillies players are not regaining their focus overall. They are too impatient.]

[It can’t be helped. The fans’ wrath has swept over them. They can’t help but be nervous. But, a calm play is important in times like these….]

Even the commentators, who had to maintain neutrality as much as possible, were openly worried about the Phillies.

The Phillies went into the second game looking as panicked as anyone could see.

The Braves, who should have been excited about the great victory, instead approached the game with a calm demeanor.

If the first game was a carpet bombing,

The second game was a little more meticulous.

Although there wasn’t a huge amount of scoring like the day before.

The Braves tied up the Phillies by scoring one point at a time and shutting down the opponent.

[Lee Jung-woo’s performance continues today! After a diving catch, he catches and lightly tosses! Out at 2nd base!]

[Ah, Derek Hunt! Catches and throws! Lee Jung-woo receives and out! A wonderful double play!]

[Lee Jung-woo’s batting is a little sluggish today with 1 hit in 4 at-bats compared to the previous day. Instead, he is showing his influence as a shortstop.]

Lee Jung-woo also matched that team dynamic.
He shut down the opponent as if he was cruel.

Flying and rolling around here and there, his uniform was already dirty with dirt.

His partner, second baseman Derek Hunt, also looked dirty.

But it was worth it.

[The Atlanta Braves’ keystone combo [the shortstop and second baseman] is often cited as the best in Major League Baseball. Today’s game shows exactly why that is.]

[With the double play of Lee Jung-woo and Derek Hunt, the Phillies are unable to advance past 2nd base. How many outs is it already!]

By thoroughly shutting down the opponent with an iron wall cast on the center line.

The Braves, who won the second game 5-0, returned to their home.

To decide the victory of the division series at their home, Truist Park, where the third game will be held.

####

“Joey! Joey!”

If Lee Jung-woo was the protagonist of the first game and the entire fielders were the protagonist of the second game, Joey Fredman was the protagonist of the third game.

As if he was displeased that the story was coming out without him,

He showed a great performance, including a two-run home run, scoring 5 RBIs alone.

He sent the Phillies’ last hope flying far away with the batted ball.

The Phillies also showed a fierce attack, unlike the previous games, as if they would avoid a 3-0 series sweep, scoring 5 points.

But that was it.

[He hit it! A ball that stretches out – does it go over! Ah~ Center fielder Gary Winters grabs the ball with his back against the fence! Game set!]

The moment the last out count went up. All the players ran out. Even the reserve players watching the game from the dugout.

At this moment, they shouted with bright smiles.

Even that was just a handful of sand in front of the cheers of the fans.

“Thank you, really, really thank you, Lee. It’s all thanks to you.”

After running to Gary, who made the last out count, and tossing him into the air.

The players who returned to the infield raised the atmosphere by responding to the audience with all their might, as if they didn’t care about their eardrums that were about to burst.
Derek, who had shouted until his throat was hoarse, soon blushed and grabbed Lee Jung-woo’s shoulders tightly.

As if he would never let go.

‘It must have been the last knot.’

He was a little embarrassed, but.

Lee Jung-woo understood his feelings.

A successful career with several Gold Gloves and All-Star selections, and a business card as the captain of a popular Major League team.

Even in such splendor, there must have been a handful of regrets and disappointments.

Since he became the captain, the Braves had not advanced to the postseason, even before that.
As a captain, he must have felt guilty towards the fans.

Lee Jung-woo thought that perhaps those emotions, like by-products, were soaring as they were resolved even a little.

Lee Jung-woo, who comforted him, also couldn’t help but rejoice with his teammates.

He smiled contentedly as he watched the stadium erupt.

‘After all, baseball stadiums should be a little noisy.’

At least today, Truist Park accurately matched Lee Jung-woo’s theory.

[With a series score of 3 to 0, the Braves advance to the Championship Series!]

The amount of celebratory gunfire, which seemed to be several times that of the Wild Card game, filled the sky above Truist Park.
The voice of the stadium announcer, which leaked out through the speakers, echoed loudly through Truist Park.

Then, a huge roar that was no match for the speakers.

Shook the entire Atlanta area.