Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 364

#363. World Series (2)

In the top of the 1st, Han Su-hyeok flawlessly silenced the Cardinals’ formidable top three hitters with just nine pitches.

The Cardinals’ dugout, which had been buzzing with fighting spirit before the game, was instantly plunged into silence.

Faced with something so incredible, they didn’t even have the energy to complain.

The Cardinals players, who competed on the world’s biggest stage and were considered the best of the best, saw Han Su-hyeok as an anomaly.

It was like watching big leaguers play against amateurs, reminiscent of their early childhood games.

Unable to deny the undeniable gap in skill, the Cardinals players couldn’t help but feel frustrated.

Of course, the game had only just begun.

Although the first inning ended without a score, there were still eight innings left, and baseball was a sport full of variables where the outcome couldn’t be predicted until the final out in the bottom of the 9th.

Grasping at this slim hope, Andrew Davis, the ace of the St. Louis Cardinals, took the mound.

“Andrew, forget about that guy’s pitching. Don’t even try to imitate it. Understand?”

“Damn it, I know. It won’t be easy, but I’ll try.”

“Good, let’s proceed slowly as planned, carefully, one pitch at a time.”

A pitcher is influenced not only by the opposing batter but also by the opposing pitcher.

If the opposing team’s pitcher is throwing fastballs and striking out batters cleanly, you can’t help but feel rushed and pressured to throw even harder.

Of course, Andrew Davis was a pitcher who was more than capable of doing so.

This young ace, whose main weapon was a fastball with a top speed of 102 mph, pitched 239 innings this year, recording 21 wins, 6 losses, an ERA [Earned Run Average, a measure of runs allowed per nine innings] of 2.01, and a WAR [Wins Above Replacement, a comprehensive statistic measuring a player’s overall contribution] of 8.01, making him an ace among aces, with the second-best record after Han Su-hyeok in both major leagues.

After Ty Johnson transferred to Seattle, he became the leader of the team, and it was no exaggeration to say that his pride was the strongest among all big leaguers. He was now struggling to erase the impact of Han Su-hyeok from his mind.

In his heart, he wanted to throw fastballs and overpower his opponents.

But he couldn’t.

From now on, he had to face the league’s, no, the major league’s best table setters [the first hitters in the batting order, whose job is to get on base], Han Su-hyeok and Ty Johnson.

After facing Han Su-hyeok, who recorded a batting average of 0.421, an on-base percentage of 0.530, a slugging percentage of 1.019, an OPS [On-Base Plus Slugging, a measure of a hitter’s overall offensive performance] of 1.550, 79 home runs, and 172 RBIs [Runs Batted In, a measure of the number of runs a batter drives in], stats that are hard to come by even in a video game, he would meet Ty Johnson, a living legend who recorded a batting average of 0.357, an on-base percentage of 0.488, a slugging percentage of 0.652, 47 home runs, and 135 RBIs.

So, should he just walk [intentionally allow a batter to reach first base] both of them?

The very next batter was Derek Fleming, the American League’s best leadoff hitter, who had a batting average of 0.355, 20 home runs, and 37 stolen bases.

In the end, there was only one conclusion.

He couldn’t run away. No, there was nowhere to run.

From now on, all Andrew Davis could do was to do his best to face each batter, one at a time.

[1st Batter Pitcher Han Su-hyeok]

With a spine-chilling bass riff, Han Su-hyeok confidently stepped into the batter’s box.

He had heard something strange during a phone call with Ty Johnson a while ago.

That Han Su-hyeok respected him. Especially that he was inspired by his hard sinker [a type of fastball that breaks downward sharply].

‘While throwing a much better ball than me?’

Of course, Han Su-hyeok was talking about before his regression [a decline in performance], so Andrew couldn’t fully grasp the meaning of those words.

In any case, one thing was certain. The best ball he threw was the hard sinker. The best ball that even his opponents acknowledged.

That’s why Andrew decided to pull out the hard sinker at a crucial moment in his match against Han Su-hyeok.

Clang

“Ball.”

The curveball, thrown slightly outside the strike zone, was called a ball.

It was a ball that Han Su-hyeok would normally swing at.

But Han Su-hyeok let it go as if he was waiting for something, and Andrew’s mind became even more complicated.

‘Is he waiting for an inside pitch? Or a fastball?’

As the pitcher’s face was filled with confusion, Marquis Daily, the Cardinals’ manager behind home plate, encouraged him in a loud voice.

“It’s okay! Good ball, Andrew! Let’s keep going like this!”

The next sign was quickly transmitted through the pitchcom [a device used to communicate signs between the pitcher and catcher].

‘A full inside fastball.’

It’s never easy to throw the ball exactly where you want it, but controlling the ball, especially an inside pitch to the batter, is one of the most difficult things for a pitcher.

Nevertheless, Andrew nodded his head without hesitation.

The powerful fastball that had elevated Andrew Davis to a higher level this season flew toward Han Su-hyeok’s body.

Clang

“Strike!”

The ball, which was thrown better than he had expected, flew into the strike zone, a pitch that was worth a perfect score.

At that moment, Andrew and Han Su-hyeok’s eyes met.

Andrew realized.

That he was smiling, that he was enjoying this match as much as he was.

‘Good!’

Encouraged that the world’s best player was enjoying his match with him, Andrew sent a sign to the catcher first.

‘A hard sinker that tails away on the outside corner.’

‘Really? Shouldn’t we take a pitch or two off?’

‘No, those tricks won’t work against that guy. It’s a battle of strength against strength.’

The catcher, realizing that Andrew’s will was firm, nodded with a tense expression.

He was right.

A game to determine the best team in the world, a first at-bat in the first inning, doesn’t deserve a cowardly pitch.

A battle of strength against strength, that was also the secret that made Andrew Davis the best pitcher in the National League this season.

Nod

After the battery [the pitcher and catcher] exchanged signs, Andrew Davis slowly began his pitching motion.

It was only the beginning of the 1st inning, and he had only thrown two pitches.

A feeling of fatigue washed over him as if he had played an entire game.

Andrew Davis, who clenched his teeth so hard that he could hear a crunching sound from the mouthpiece he was biting, threw the ball to Han Su-hyeok with all his might.

Hoping to induce a swing and a miss, or even a ground ball, hoping to plant a seed of doubt on that monster’s face,

His 100-mile hard sinker, containing everything he had, flew powerfully toward the low outside corner.

But,

Crack!

With a sound like the ball was splitting, a bullet-like hit flew toward the right fielder.

It was a hit that you could tell was going to be a long one the moment it left the bat.

“Good! Run! Run!”

“Damn! How could that not go over the fence!”

The ball flew past the right fielder’s outstretched glove, hit the top of the right field fence, and bounced out of play into foul territory.

The Cardinals’ right fielder, overwhelmed by the screams and shouts of the Seattle fans, fumbled the ball for a moment, and Han Su-hyeok, who ran with all his might without a moment’s hesitation, arrived at third base.

“Safe!”

“That’s right! That’s it!”

“Cardinals, you bastards, how does that taste!”

Han Su-hyeok, who arrived at third base with ease, took off his helmet and raised his hand to the crowd.

Andrew Davis, who thought it would be a home run the moment it was hit, wiped the sweat from his forehead and muttered to himself.

“Ha, that’s really crazy.”

Without a doubt, the hard sinker Andrew had just thrown was the best of the thousands and tens of thousands of balls he had thrown so far, a perfect ball that he wondered if he could ever throw again.

Shaking his head from side to side to forcibly shake off the lingering frustration and bewilderment, Andrew turned his gaze to the next batter.

[2nd Batter First Baseman Ty Johnson]

The legendary hitter, once the most respected by Andrew, who led the behemoth St. Louis to conquer Major League Baseball, was stepping into the batter’s box.

At first, he didn’t understand.

Ty Johnson’s words that he would transfer to Seattle to win and enjoy baseball.

But now he seemed to understand.

Seeing him, who had been stuck in a rut for a while, with the same expression as a rookie who was about to play in a big game for the first time, everything made sense.

The resentment toward Ty Johnson, which had lingered slightly, disappeared like snow.

The desire to ask why he had left for another team, leaving him, who still had much to learn, flew away somewhere.

Instead,

The desire to win at all costs, to show his former mentor and colleague, who had left this place for better baseball, how much he had grown, surged up.

Ty Johnson, a living legend who had lost his former destructive power as he got older, but perfectly compensated for that deficiency with experience.

Andrew Davis’s hard sinker, containing everything he had, flew toward him.

And,

Crack!

A light swing, completely different from when he was playing for the Cardinals, as if he had no desire for a hit or a home run, struck the hard sinker.

Thud

“Safe!”

The right fielder, who had run to the fence, caught the ball, and Han Su-hyeok, who had tagged up [advanced to the next base after a fly ball was caught], entered home almost as if he was taking a walk, making it 1 to 0.

Ty Johnson, who had always had to be the center of attention, who had to finish everything with his own hands, smiled as if he was very satisfied with just one sacrifice fly [a fly ball that scores a run].

Andrew Davis felt a strange sense of envy as he watched Han Su-hyeok and Ty Johnson, who were walking into the dugout with their arms around each other’s shoulders.

The thought that he wanted to be with them rather than fight them, a thought that was difficult to achieve at the moment, confused Andrew.

* * *

“Just a little more! Yes, just a little more!”

“Han Su-hyeok! Please! Seattle loves you!”

“Oppa [Korean term for ‘older brother’ used by females, often used to show affection]! Cheer up!”

Andrew Davis, the best pitcher in the National League, and Han Su-hyeok, the best hitter and pitcher in the American League.

The fierce battle between the two aces, which had been fiercely contested for the first game of the World Series, was slowly coming to an end.

Andrew Davis’s pitching was perfect. As expected of the leading candidate for the National League Cy Young Award [an award given to the best pitcher in each league], it was truly great pitching.

The problem was that there was an even greater player on the opposing team.

A triple in the bottom of the 1st inning followed by a run, and a double in the bottom of the 6th inning followed by another run,

Although he struck out one batter in the bottom of the 8th inning, Andrew Davis was on the verge of losing today because he couldn’t contain Han Su-hyeok even though he had perfectly blocked all of Seattle’s other batters.

The only well-hit balls were the two hits he had allowed to Han Su-hyeok. Even then, the runs were due to Ty Johnson’s sacrifice fly and Derek Fleming’s squeeze bunt [a bunt with a runner on third base, designed to score the runner].

But what could he do?

The contrast between the 2 and 0 engraved on the scoreboard showed that the moment he would become the losing pitcher was not far away.

Step by step

He took the mound to silence the Cardinals’ last attack.

Han Su-hyeok, who had not allowed any of the Cardinals’ batters to reach first base until the top of the 8th inning,

Who had struck out 18 of the 24 batters he had faced,

Who was pitching a perfect game on the team’s first-ever World Series stage.

“Play!”

Han Su-hyeok, who took the mound to face the last three batters, realized one surprising fact.

That he was playing in the game for someone other than himself today.

For the hundreds of thousands of Seattle citizens who wished for the team’s first-ever World Series victory, and for someone who was more precious than anyone else in the world, someone who had become an indispensable existence.

In that way, Han Su-hyeok was defending the mound with the wishes of someone other than himself on his back.

It was amazing, but it wasn’t a bad feeling.

Just,

It was a very strange experience for him, who had been living as if he was being chased by something for a long time, who had been playing baseball to quench the endless thirst that was rising.

Han Su-hyeok’s gaze turned to someone in the first base stands far away.

Looking at a girl who reminded him of his favorite childhood memories,

Who made him feel the refreshing scent of grass,

He smiled.

He unconsciously smiled brightly as he threw the ball with all his might toward the catcher’s mitt.

Bang!

“Strike!”

* * *

[Seattle Mariners, who stepped on the World Series stage for the first time since the club’s founding, win the first game 2-0 against the invincible St. Louis Cardinals]

[First World Series win in 53 years, what made it possible? Han Su-hyeok, who recorded the second World Series perfect game in history after Don Larsen (1956 / New York Yankees)]

[9-inning perfect game, and 2 hits, 2 runs, Han Su-hyeok, who took responsibility for the game alone, “I dedicate today’s victory to the citizens of Seattle and my beloved girl.”]

[The perfect Han Su-hyeok, and the Seattle Mariners, who are united around him, show their skills even on the first World Series stage]

[Ty Johnson, who scored the winning RBI with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 1st inning, “It doesn’t matter if I’m the center of the team. I’ve played in many World Series, but this is the first time I’ve been so excited this season. I will definitely survive to the end and become a champion.”]

[Derek Fleming, who scored the team’s second RBI with a surprising squeeze bunt in the 1st out and 3rd base situation created by Han Su-hyeok’s double and Ty Johnson’s advancement, “It doesn’t matter if I’m number 1 or number 3. All I want is a World Series ring, and I’m ready to do anything to get it.”]

[Andrew Davis, who became the losing pitcher despite pitching well with 2 runs in 9 innings, “Today’s game was a perfect defeat. But I won’t be discouraged. If I get another chance to face him, I will show a different side of myself than today.”]

[PHOTO: Seattle citizens cheering after the game, lights in the downtown area that are on all night, continuing festivals, Seattle that has forgotten the night]

[Seattle takes a 1-0 lead, and the second game will be held tomorrow, with a match between Seattle’s Ryan Thibo and St. Louis’s Jordan East, the league’s strongest second starters]