Pitcher’S End, Batter’S Start [EN]: Chapter 267

With only two games left until the end of the pennant race, the team’s atmosphere felt a bit adrift [unfocused or unsettled].

“What are you going to do during the break?”

“I’m going to sleep like I’m dead. It’s not like they’re giving us a week off, right?”

“I was planning to go on a trip with my daughter, but I miscalculated the days. Damn it.”

“What can you do? You just have to lie low. It’s not like it’s the first time you’ve had to apologize, is it?”

They had already clinched the division title and set a new record for most wins. With the end of the long regular season approaching, it was only natural that they would have some leeway [breathing room or relaxation].

The players had already spent a year playing a lot of games with great honor, so no one could criticize them for relaxing a bit.

‘I’d rather have last year.’

But I was also a little worried. Last year, the Braves barely made it to the Wild Card game, so the team’s discipline didn’t easily loosen.

Even if the season ended, there was a sudden death match right away, and it was held at home, so even the most mentally weak players had to focus.

In contrast, they had already overwhelmingly secured a spot in the postseason, making it much easier than last year, or rather, entering the postseason in the most dominant way in Major League history.

The players were on the borderline between relaxation and arrogance, and just as the game was about to start, and Derick was about to speak to the players, Mancini came into the locker room.

“My Boys! You haven’t forgotten that the game is just around the corner, have you?”

“Of course, Boss. We’re playing the Phillies.”

“Really? I heard you guys goofing off, so I was wondering if there were any guys who had forgotten the importance of today’s game.”

The importance of today’s game. The players tilted their heads at those words. What importance could there possibly be?

Of course, each win was important in terms of records, but in fact, this game was one where it wouldn’t be strange to field a lineup of backups or minor leaguers.

That’s why the players expressed their doubts at Mancini’s words, but Mancini smiled and said again.

“Those Phillies bastards. They’re really sweating right now. Why? Because the Pirates just won. That’s right, we’re holding their lives in our hands.”

“Huh? Really?”

“Wow~ It’s fierce until the end. Are we going to have a Wild Card tiebreaker?”

“Is it possible? If the Phillies lose all their games and the Pirates win all their games.”

The team was buzzing. It wasn’t our business, but the possibility of another team’s misfortune was always an interesting topic, so the players quickly became engaged by Mancini’s words.

“Yeah, yeah, we can help screw the Phillies. The people of Pittsburgh will be cheering for us. And the Phillies’ winning streak is on the line. How about that? Isn’t that enough?”

“It’s enough!”

“Good, then stop goofing off and focus! Today, we’re going to crush the Phillies!”

“Crush the Phillies!”

Mancini nodded with a satisfied smile at the players’ loud shouts, and then left the locker room. He also gave Derick a wink.

In fact, the players knew it too. Even if he said that, it was still a relatively meaningless game, and it was just a story he brought up to get them to come to their senses [focus and take the game seriously].

But sometimes it wasn’t bad to be motivated by such a trick, so the team regained their focus, and Derick and Lee Jung-woo’s expressions softened a little.

‘Just right. Perfect for crushing the Phillies.’

The team, leaning a little more towards relaxation than arrogance, was in the perfect mindset to trample on the opposing team’s hopes.

####

Besides humiliation, the future was also at stake, so the stadium was filled with anxiety. If they lost again today, something they didn’t even want to think about might happen.

Of course, they believed that the Phillies would win somehow, even if they went to a tiebreaker. But there was also the possibility of something going wrong.

“Go Phillies! Go!”

“End it today! That damn losing streak! And the Wild Card race! Just end it today!”

Unlike their usual ferocity, the players could only nod with stiff expressions at the cheering [support] that even felt desperate. On the other hand, the relaxed Braves players calmly approached the game.

A battle between desperation and relaxation. As there were pros and cons to each, the game was quite tense, and the Braves gave up the lead and were dragged along by the Phillies’ unexpectedly strong resistance.

Allen O’Donnell’s pitching, which strangely induced only ground balls, didn’t work well today, so he was pulled earlier than expected.

Not only that, but Lee Jung-woo was also easily shut down, recording one strikeout and two ground balls in three at-bats, fueling the Phillies’ momentum.

“Let’s gooooo!”

“Slowly! Calmly! Don’t be nervous and do it calmly!”

On the faces of the spectators who were not asking for hustle as usual, but gently coaxing the players to be careful, there was still anxiety that they had not erased, or rather, had grown more than before, even though the team was winning.

6 to 3. It was a decent score difference, but if it was baseball, if it was the Braves, they could be reversed [overcome], so they didn’t let their guard down for a moment, and whether it was a disaster caused by such an uneasy mind.

The imagination began to come true.

“Are you not feeling well today?”

“I’m not hitting well. The starting pitcher did well, right?”

“Isn’t a quality start not that good? Well, it’s good against our team.”

Top of the 7th inning. Poppin casually asked Lee Jung-woo, who was heading to his fourth at-bat. He was worried that he wasn’t showing a very impressive performance today.

Lee Jung-woo, who joked with him and answered lightly, loosening his stiff shoulders and scanned the field.

‘It’s full of hope.’

The victory they had almost grasped. With only two innings left to stop, they were doing their best. That’s because, unlike the Braves, who were just trying to increase their concentration, it was a really important game for them. It was only natural that they would do that.

‘I’m also feeling pressure. I’m also feeling excitement. He’s the most burdened guy.’

Lee Jung-woo nodded briefly as he watched the Phillies, who were showing their will to maintain the current lead until the end, and then went up to the batter’s box.

Top of the 7th inning, no outs.

The gaze towards him as he came up as the lead batter of the inning was very dismissive. He had performed poorly [failed to make an impact] at the plate, so it seemed like their wariness [caution] was a little less.

To be exact, people were looking at him like an unfired bullet that could explode at any time.

They thought it was a bomb that still looked safe, but could explode at any time.

‘It’s not a wrong thought. Not only me, but all the batters are like that.’

Even so, they had no choice but to be a little more careful because the explosives inside were different.

That’s why the bomb thought it would liberate those people.

‘It was a problem because I wasn’t in good condition. But thanks to continuing to swing [practicing], I’ve gotten a little better.’

His batting feel was pretty good for someone who had failed [struggled] all game. Perhaps it was the effect of the ground balls that didn’t become hits.

Thanking those things that could have worked badly but came back well, Lee Jung-woo took his batting stance and suddenly his gaze turned to a point on the ground in front of him.

The space between the right fielder and the center fielder. Slightly to the left of the second baseman, the middle point of the gap between the three fielders. That place was tempting [appealing].

‘I don’t need a fancy line drive, just tap [hit] one lightly.’

The game started after setting the goal. The pitcher, who had managed [controlled] his expression well, maintained a poker face and threw the ball.

‘This…’

Unexpectedly, a better pitch than expected came in. He was going to hold back a little because he had ruined the previous at-bats by swinging hastily [being impatient], but his hand went out on its own.

Perhaps it was because he set a small goal and felt comfortable, so he was able to bat a little more calmly.

‘Lightly, moderately.’

*Tok* [onomatopoeia for a light tap] – The bat, which was extended concisely as if a top golfer was putting, gently caressed the ball. A different kind of hitting sound than usual rang out.

The quality of the hit was also light and floating, so some people smiled as if they expected an out, but the ball, which was slender but faster and farther than expected, passed over the head of the second baseman who was chasing it, and fell ahead of the center fielder and right fielder who had come forward, and rolled and rolled.

“I told you to be careful!”

“I told you not to let your guard down [be careless] when dealing with that bastard! You morons [idiots]!”

Thanks to the fact that all three people involved were slightly late, there was enough time even though it wasn’t a long hit.

Just before stepping on first base, Lee Jung-woo scanned the outfield and immediately stretched his legs a little more, and the coach on first base also urged [encouraged] him with an exciting call sign.

“Go! Run to second base!”

The center fielder who had been running caught the ball late and took a step, and threw it to the shortstop who covered the base instead of the second baseman who had vacated his position.

It was a course that would have been a single if it had been normal, but the Phillies were late and Lee Jung-woo was fast, so there was a close call.

[Now, at second base-]

“It’s an overrun!”

“Out! Out!”

The spectators were constantly shouting overrun and out. The caster also raised his voice and added excitement to the broadcast. At the last moment, the second base umpire was deeply in thought [contemplating] as the throw and base touch came in almost simultaneously.

Philadelphia. The home stadium of the Phillies and the home of one of the most notorious fandoms in Major League Baseball.

With the important issue of the Wild Card at stake, his one word could cause a big disturbance, or even a riot.

But even so, he followed his beliefs. Everyone would acknowledge [accept] it if it went to video review anyway.

“Safe!”

The second base umpire seemed a little relieved that there was less booing than expected. It wasn’t that the Braves had scored a point with this, or that they were reversed [taken the lead], so the spectators restrained themselves a little.

Of course, it was something to be taken into account [expected] that swearing [profanity] came out from everywhere, as it was the default value of Citizens Bank Park. However, the game was temporarily stopped as the Phillies manager, enraged and ran out [stormed out], demanded a challenge.

“Fuck.”

“Is it safe?”

“Fuck you.”

While the manager and spectators were united in shouting out, the shortstop just uttered swearing [profanity] with a distorted expression.

He knew.

Lee Jung-woo smiled at the shortstop’s appearance and asked him, but all he got back was a refreshing swearing [curse], just like other times.

‘First of all, a double. If I do well, I might be able to score an additional point.’

It was a situation where he could spark a chase [comeback] if he did well. Lee Jung-woo briefly set his sights on [focused on] home plate, and in the meantime, the original decision was upheld after the video review.

“Oooooooo!”

A small booing rang out again at that, but it soon subsided because it was clearly shown through the electronic display board. Soon after, as Joey brought him in with a light hit as Lee Jung-woo thought, the score went up, and swearing [cursing] came out again.

But the Phillies didn’t know. It wasn’t just going to end there, they should have gotten an out call by using force [any means necessary].

The aftermath caused by that one point was something they couldn’t handle.

####

[Out! With the Phillies’ attack in the bottom of the 8th inning thwarted, now only the last, 9th inning remains.]

[We have to stop the last attack somehow. Even for the Wild Card. I think Pittsburgh is anxiously watching the game right now.]

The score, which had been frozen since Lee Jung-woo’s score as the attacks were thwarted, still remained at 6 to 4.

The Phillies’ fans were hoping and hoping again that it would just end like this. There were even those who appealed to the Braves, saying that you wouldn’t lose anything even if you lost one game today.

The Braves’ attack starts from number 9. Originally, it would be the pitcher’s at-bat, but of course, a pinch hitter came up.

“Knock it out of the park [hit a home run] coolly. Lee and I will take care of the rest.”

“Hoo… I hope I don’t get shot for hitting a home run right now, right?”

“Well, I can’t guarantee that.”

Desmond Leech, stepping up to the plate as a pinch hitter, looked visibly nervous. It was probably more due to the pressure from the crowd than the burden of the game itself.

Mancini watched the game with a look that wondered if he had made the right call by sending him in as a pinch hitter, seeing him step up to the plate amidst the ominous gazes.

Despite his outward appearance, he was a talented hitter, and he lashed out at the ball as if to slap the murderous-looking spectators in the face.

[He hit it! It’s a hit!]

Unlike his joking words before going out, it was a technically pushed single [a hit made by gently guiding the ball rather than powerfully hitting it].

As he lightly stepped on first base, the now-familiar curses followed, and Desmond drooped his shoulders even after getting the hit.

“No, right? It won’t be… it shouldn’t be.”

Even as they hurled abuse at him, the spectators were consumed by fear. It was a familiar pattern.

Connecting to Lee Jung-woo like this, and him hitting a home run.

Perhaps it was because they feared that the game might end like that, that the worst-case scenario might actually happen, they trembled with fear.

“F***! F***!”

Unable to bear the pressure, the pitcher, who had just walked a batter, ended up tearing at his own hair.

The worst-case scenario. He hasn’t faced three batters yet, so he can’t even change the pitcher.

Some people screamed that this wasn’t right, and screams of agony echoed and lingered around the ground.

Against that backdrop, Lee Jung-woo, who confidently entered the plate again, gave the catcher and pitcher, whose eyes were trembling as they looked at him, a slightly faint smile instead of his usual stern expression.

‘It’s here.’

Grateful for the opportunity that had come.

His hitting feel had definitely improved with the double in the previous at-bat, and the pitcher’s ball, which had already begun to shake, was just right.

“K or D. Choose one.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Is it hard to understand? Should I spell it out for you?”

The catcher suddenly spouted nonsense as he stepped onto the plate. Lee Jung-woo tilted his head, but soon realized that he was using abbreviations so that the referee wouldn’t understand.

‘Strikeout. Or death?’

It’s a possibility.

If he gets another hit this time and scores, and if they win this game as well, some of those many people might try to kill him.

“You don’t have that kind of courage, do you? You’re all talk.”

“Are you insulting our fans?”

“No, I’m insulting you for spouting nonsense without satisfying those loyal fans.”

“Why don’t you both stop?”

Lee Jung-woo, blocking the catcher’s mouth through the referee, who was spouting nonsense, looked at the pitcher as if to ask if he thought the same, but the pitcher didn’t look at him.

His eyes were only on the fans in all directions.

The unspoken cries of the fans, telling him to catch it somehow, to clean up the mess he had made, were eating away at him.

And that wasn’t a good sign. Of course, for the pitcher, the catcher, and the Phillies fans who were whipping him.

‘Slider. It looked better than I thought. I like it. The speed was probably around 83-4 miles?’

With a hitter like this in front of him.

‘The slider’s zero point [release point] was usually high. To the outside.’

“Ball!”

“Ball!”

Getting lost in other thoughts is.

‘Fastball, changeup. Then fastball. And usually slider.’

It was suicide.

‘Fastball. Ambiguous. I’ll just let it go.’

“Strike.”

The first strike after two balls seemed to restore confidence to the pitcher, but.

‘Let’s pull it all the way [swing with full power].’

That wasn’t enough.

At least, if he really wanted a good result, the pitcher should have faced him head-on. In the end, he couldn’t, and the appropriate punishment for such a pitcher was a terrifyingly flying hit down the right field line.

“Run! Run! Run!”

The base coaches scream like crazy. Derrick and Desmond, who had filled first and second base, ran in a daze. In particular, Desmond strode forward with his large body, as if not to become an obstacle.

Nevertheless, he was a little slow, but the hit itself was deep, so there was plenty of time, and accordingly, Lee Jung-woo also kept his legs moving.

“Throw it quickly, you trash!”

A roar towards the right fielder.

The right fielder, barely chasing after the deeply placed hit, threw the ball, but Desmond was already right in front of home, and Derrick, who was faster, was close behind him. Lee Jung-woo was behind Derrick.

[Second base runner scores! First base runner scores! The throw is late! Jung-woo Lee’s sweeping triple! The game is back to square one! And- the Braves have their first chance to reverse the game!]

His mind goes blank. Tie in the top of the 9th. Moreover, there is a runner on third base with no outs. Perhaps wanting to deny all of this, he shook his head repeatedly, closed his eyes and opened them, but nothing changed.

Perhaps it was because that stuffy feeling led to anger, the spectators vented their resentment towards Lee Jung-woo and the Braves, perhaps the whole world. Some even sobbed, asking why they were doing this to them.

‘I feel a little sorry.’

It was true that he had tormented the Phillies a lot, so he felt a little sorry, but soon Lee Jung-woo admitted it.

The apology was a little early.

Because something even more regrettable happened.

[Joey Fredman is at the plate. He’s having a good game today, recording 3 hits and 3 RBIs, right?]

[He’s a great player. He’s clearly showing why he and Lee are the center of the Braves’ lineup.]

Joey came to the plate.

Perhaps for this game only, he was a hitter to be more wary of than Lee Jung-woo. He accounted for half of the Braves’ tying score.

That’s why the pitcher, who was replaced, was pitching with a determined expression, and it was good until the ball, thrown carefully one by one, charmed the batter’s bat…

[It’s a mis-hit- this is-]

The mis-hit ball fell after a short flight and rolled towards first base. It’s a common ground ball, but the course was exquisite.

If someone who hadn’t seen the hitting scene saw it, they might suspect that Joey had put on a squeeze bunt [a strategic play where the runner on third base breaks for home as the batter bunts the ball].

The moment he saw it, Lee Jung-woo ran without looking back. He wondered if this was okay, but anyway, as a third base runner, he couldn’t miss this opportunity.

“Catch it! Catch it quickly!”

“Home- just throw it straight home!”

A frantic sprint.

Still, thanks to his full concentration, he was able to react quickly. Because the pitcher ran straight for the ball.

That’s why the Phillies fans saw a glimmer of hope, but Lee Jung-woo was too fast.

The pitcher’s throw to home. There was that short toss that wasn’t even worth calling a throw, but unlike the double earlier, this time it was too clearly visible.

They wouldn’t want to admit it.

[Safe at home! It’s safe! Braves! They score 3 runs in the top of the 9th! They’ve made a great comeback!]

A great come back. But for the Phillies fans, things happened that they wanted to call a great ‘enemy’ back with a slight change. Lee Jung-woo, who stepped on home base, thought as he heard the umpire’s safe declaration.

‘I think I need to run away quickly… We’re not killing the Phillies, we’re going to die.’

He usually doesn’t feel threatened by what the home fans shout at away games, and he just finds those ferocious Phillies fans cute, but today he was seriously worried about his life.

There were quite a few eyes that seemed to have made a ‘decision’ rather than a threat to kill him.

Top of the 9th. The Braves made a comeback by scoring 3 points, and a moment later, Joey’s ambiguous mis-hit became the finishing blow.

####

[Phillies Shocking Complete Defeat!]

[‘Can’t beat the Braves!’ Philadelphia Phillies, 19 losses in 19 games against the Braves!]

[‘Furious Philadelphia, Cheering Pittsburgh?’ Pirates, just praising the Braves’ ‘Great Victory and Continued Record!’]

[Lee Jung-woo, who decided the game again this time! The Phillies’ Grim Reaper has been activated!]

Yes, the internet exploded to the point where it was ridiculous to explain it further. Not only the internet, but also the team bus and private plane almost exploded, but fortunately, that didn’t happen.

There must have been quite a few people who tried.

The Phillies’ feelings after recording a complete defeat to one team, even a team in the same division, could not be explained by shock or shock.

A nuclear bomb or a hydrogen bomb, that’s probably about the same. It wouldn’t be enough to compare it to the Tsar Bomba [the most powerful nuclear weapon ever detonated], the most powerful bomb in history.

It was humiliating enough, but it affected not only humiliation or pride, but also the future of the club.

With only one game left until the end of the season, if they lose the next game and the Pirates win, a tiebreaker will be held to determine the wild card [a playoff spot for teams that didn’t win their division].

-I’m going to kill him. I’m going to kill him. I’m going to kill him. I’m going to kill him. I’m going to kill him.

-Where the f*** is the plane! Where does that son of a b**** live! Lee! I knew that son of a b**** would eventually cause this!

-Bomb, I need a f***ing bomb. Guns won’t work. You need at least a bazooka. I’m going to kill that son of a b**** with it.

Of course, countless people were shouting that they would kill the Braves, especially Lee Jung-woo, who was the main culprit of this disaster as always.

They usually do this, but it was much more serious than that, so they expressed serious concern.

-Shouldn’t the club assign a bodyguard to Lee?

-He doesn’t get paid much, so the club should definitely assign him a bodyguard.

-Is a bodyguard the problem now? Look at the state of Philadelphia. I think the National Guard should be dispatched…

It was a pretty serious situation for something that happened in sports. Things bordering on riots, no different from riots, were happening all over the city, so some people even argued that the National Guard should be dispatched.

-I live in Philadelphia. Because of work. But I’m a Braves fan. I usually cheer secretly at home, so no one knows. I’m so scared right now. I have Lee’s uniform in my closet. Why am I so scared?

-The moment you get caught, you’re really dead.

-I’m giving you serious advice. Burn the uniform. Lee will understand enough.

-You’re lucky you didn’t get caught… I showed Lee’s uniform to my friends. They suddenly came to me earlier. They said traitors must die. I showed them the uniform burning in front of their eyes and barely survived.

Although regionalism is strong, there are always heretics everywhere, and there were Braves fans in Philadelphia as well. In particular, there were quite a few people who had Lee Jung-woo’s uniform, who boasts national popularity.

They were seriously worried about whether they would be killed by their acquaintances or neighbors tomorrow morning, and those who were quick-witted quickly disposed of their uniforms and hid back in the shadows.

In this way, the aftermath of the game shook almost all regions related to it. The Braves, who escaped from such Philadelphia, not in a figurative sense but really escaped, returned to their safe sweet home.

In order to achieve the final beauty in the pennant race [the competition to win the league championship].