Perfect Agent [EN]: Chapter 288

Team Korea (9)

Finally, Jang Su-young’s wind-up began.

However,

-Thwack!

-Ball!

Following the first pitch that sailed far outside the strike zone,

-Thwack!

-Ball!

The second pitch also missed the strike zone.

Jang Su-young himself looked dissatisfied, a sentiment easily read on his face.

At that moment, Han Gyo-jin appeared to be returning the ball to Jang Su-young, but suddenly twisted his body and fired the ball with all his might toward first base.

The first base runner, who was casually returning to the bag, was startled and scrambled back.

However, the first baseman’s glove, already securing the ball, tagged him just in time.

The first base umpire, who had witnessed the entire play, confidently signaled with a raised fist.

-Out!

-Wowwww-

Han Gyo-jin clenched his fist and pumped it in the air.

“Han Gyo-jin gets the out to end the inning! The first base runner clearly wasn’t expecting that!”

“The atmosphere was chaotic after the baffling balk call [an illegal movement by the pitcher] and the ejection of the starting catcher. Han Gyo-jin’s play could be a crucial turning point!”

My voice vibrated with excitement.

Jang Su-young and Han Gyo-jin, returning to the dugout, exchanged smiles and bumped gloves.

-Korea! Korea! Korea!

The cheers of the Korean crowd roared louder than ever.

Now, it was the top of the 9th inning.

The closing pitcher for Japan took the mound.

“Now it’s Korea’s last chance in regulation. We have three outs remaining.”

“It ain’t over till it’s over! Besides, scoring 3 points in 1 inning isn’t uncommon in baseball.”

“And the batting order is favorable. It starts with the 2nd batter, Oh Seok-hoon. Oh Seok-hoon has come through in the clutch [performed well under pressure] several times in this tournament. Hopefully, he can deliver again!”

“Right now, getting on base is more crucial than hitting a home run. They need to stay patient and advance one step at a time.”

Oh Seok-hoon, standing at the plate, took a few practice swings and settled into his batting stance.

Meanwhile, the pitcher, after receiving the sign from the catcher, prepared to deliver the ball.

The moment the pitcher’s leg lifted,

Oh Seok-hoon shortened his grip on the bat and crouched lower.

And gently tapped the incoming ball.

-Tick!

“Oh oh! Oh Seok-hoon lays down a surprise bunt!”

Oh Seok-hoon sprinted toward first base the instant the ball made contact.

The batted ball trickled along the 3rd base line, losing momentum.

The third baseman, the catcher, and even the pitcher converged on the ball simultaneously.

The catcher reached it first and scooped it up.

He attempted to throw to first, but

-Safe!

Oh Seok-hoon had already crossed first base.

-Wowwww-

-Oh Seok-hoon! Oh Seok-hoon! Oh Seok-hoon!

“Oh Seok-hoon’s surprise bunt catches everyone off guard! No one saw that coming!”

“From the placement to the dying speed of the ball, it was a textbook bunt.”

“The leadoff hitter is on base. Let’s hope this play sparks a momentum shift.”

Soon after, Na Jun-ho, the 3rd batter, stepped up to the plate.

“Next up is Na Jun-ho. He’s capable of hitting a long ball at any moment.”

“The opposing pitcher has to be rattled. If they’re careful, they can get good results.”

The Japanese pitcher glanced at Oh Seok-hoon and began his wind-up, when,

“Oh oh!”

Oh Seok-hoon took off again.

This time, he was sprinting toward second base.

The surprised catcher caught the ball and fired it toward second,

-Safe!

-Wowwww-

Oh Seok-hoon, already at second base, secured the bag with his hand.

Cheers exploded from the Korean stands.

“Oh Seok-hoon steals second! He’s doing it all himself!”

“Oh Seok-hoon has been hesitant to steal bases since his hamstring injury, but he’s still got it.”

I couldn’t contain my rising excitement.

“From getting on base with a surprise bunt to stealing second. Oh Seok-hoon, the leadoff batter, is completely energizing the team.”

“Plus, Na Jun-ho can now bat without the pressure of a double play. That significantly reduces the burden on a hitter, increasing the chances of a positive outcome.”

Na Jun-ho gripped his bat and prepared to hit,

At that moment, the Japanese coach in the dugout signaled to the umpire with four fingers.

The umpire, after confirming the signal, directed Na Jun-ho to first base.

“An intentional walk is coming! The next batter is Park Seong-ju, the 4th batter.”

“With first base open and Park Seong-ju struggling in this tournament, it might seem like a logical decision. But Park Seong-ju is always a threat to go yard [hit a home run].”

“What will be the result of this intentional walk?”

Park Seong-ju, who had been watching, tried to maintain a neutral expression.

Then he swung his bat forcefully and approached the plate.

-Korea! Korea! Korea!

-Park Seong-ju Home Run! Park Seong-ju Home Run! Park Seong-ju Home Run!

“Now it’s Korea’s 4th batter, Park Seong-ju. If I remember correctly, the last time they intentionally walked the batter in front of Park Seong-ju during a regular season game, it backfired.”

“That’s right. Park Seong-ju has a fierce competitive spirit and a lot of pride. He’ll be burning with the desire to prove them wrong.”

“As a fan, it’s frustrating to see Korea’s 4th batter being intentionally walked. I hope he crushes one.”

“Since he’s batting after an intentional walk, they’ll likely try to get ahead in the count with a first-pitch strike. Park Seong-ju needs to be aggressive and ready to swing from the start.”

I struggled to steady my trembling hands and focused intently on the field.

The pitcher took a deep breath and prepared to throw.

Finally, the ball left the pitcher’s hand.

As expected, the ball was heading straight for the strike zone.

Park Seong-ju swung with everything he had.

-Clang!

-Wowwww-

The instant the ball connected with Park Seong-ju’s bat, I felt a surge of exhilaration.

The batted ball sliced between the center fielder and the right fielder and sped away.

“That’s it! He smoked it!”

Oh Seok-hoon, after tracking the ball’s trajectory, sprinted past 3rd base and headed for home.

Na Jun-ho, who had been on first, touched second and raced toward third without hesitation.

The right fielder snagged the ball just before it reached the fence.

Na Jun-ho, about to round third for home, saw the coach’s signal and stopped at 3rd base.

Meanwhile, Park Seong-ju reached second base.

Park Seong-ju, standing on second, clenched both fists and raised them triumphantly.

-Wowwww-

-Park Seong-ju! Park Seong-ju! Park Seong-ju!

The score changed to 1:3.

“Park Seong-ju delivers Korea’s first and crucial RBI [Run Batted In] of the game! Korea’s comeback is officially underway!”

“No matter how much Park Seong-ju has been struggling, this proves that intentionally walking the previous batter was a mistake!”

“Thanks to Park Seong-ju’s hit, Korea now has a runner in scoring position!”

Now Han Gyo-jin grabbed his bat and walked to the plate.

“The 5th batter, catcher Han Gyo-jin, is up. He started as a designated hitter and then suddenly donned the catcher’s mask. Han Gyo-jin’s defense in the last inning was critical, wasn’t it?”

“Absolutely. If they had allowed another run in the last inning, the momentum might have completely shifted. It was a game-saving play that not only prevented a run but also swung the atmosphere in our favor.”

As Han Gyo-jin settled into his stance, the Japanese pitcher and catcher began exchanging signs.

“With the score at 1:3 and runners on 2nd and 3rd, shouldn’t Japan consider loading the bases?”

“It’s true that it’s often easier to defend with the bases loaded than with runners on 2nd and 3rd. But it’s a tough decision because the next batter, So Young-jun, hasn’t been batting poorly. Plus, they just got burned for intentionally walking a batter, making the decision even harder.”

Meanwhile, the pitcher, after receiving the sign, prepared to throw.

The pitcher glanced at the 3rd base runner and unleashed the ball.

-Thwack!

-Ball!

The pitch sailed far above the strike zone.

It was so high that the catcher had to rise and extend his glove to catch it.

“The pitcher isn’t known for having control issues. That shows how much pressure he’s under, right?”

“The more this happens, the less Han Gyo-jin needs to rush. He just needs to be patient, narrow his strike zone, and swing only at pitches he knows he can hit.”

And now he threw the second ball.

The ball hurtled close to Han Gyo-jin’s body.

-Swoosh-

The ball, flying dangerously close, grazed Han Gyo-jin’s arm.

Han Gyo-jin raised his arm to the umpire, indicating he had been hit.

The umpire, after confirming, pointed to 1st base while looking at Han Gyo-jin.

As Han Gyo-jin clenched his fist and ran to first base, a wave of cheers erupted from the Korean stands.

-Wowwww-

-Han Gyo-jin! Han Gyo-jin! Han Gyo-jin!

“Hit by pitch! Han Gyo-jin gets on base, loading the bases!”

“Han Gyo-jin had no intention of avoiding it! He was clearly focused on getting on base at all costs!”

“Korea has created a huge opportunity in the bottom of the 9th. Now they just need to capitalize!”

The pitching coach from the Japanese dugout hurried to the mound.

“Bases loaded, no outs, and a score of 1:3. It’s a nail-biter.”

“The Japanese bench is probably reacting to a situation they didn’t anticipate.”

Before anyone realized it, the atmosphere in the Korean and Japanese stands had completely flipped.

-Korea! Korea! Korea!

-Grand Slam! Grand Slam! Grand Slam!

Unlike the ecstatic Korean fans, the Japanese fans watched the field with gloomy expressions.

As the pitching coach left the mound and returned to the dugout, the game resumed.

And the next player to approach the plate was the 6th batter, So Young-jun.

“Now it’s the turn of Korea’s captain, So Young-jun!”

“If So Young-jun comes through here, he can redeem himself for all the mistakes he made earlier today!”

So Young-jun’s eyes, gripping the bat at the plate, shone brighter than ever.