Pitcher’S End, Batter’S Start [EN]: Chapter 272

‘That’s it.’

That was my only thought the moment the ball connected with my bat.

The ball, feeling so clean it left no sensation in my hands, soared over the right field fence and out of the stadium. I gently placed the bat down and slowly rounded the bases.

I didn’t harbor such ill feelings towards the Giants that I would perform a bat flip or admire the ball’s trajectory in front of their teary-eyed fans.

“There’s still the bottom of the 9th! We can do this!”

“We just need one run, just one! Then it’s a tie!”

Having witnessed the lead change and the shift in momentum, the crowd suppressed their disappointment, focusing on the upcoming bottom of the 9th, as the game wasn’t over yet.

There was no real resentment towards Ilya Danilov from the start. His contribution was crucial in getting us to the postseason, and our feelings weren’t so shallow that we would berate him after such a strong pitching performance. We were just a little disappointed.

“Your haters are going to increase by about 30,000.”

“What can I do? It’s my job.”

Of course, setting aside any resentment towards the pitcher didn’t mean the animosity towards the opposing batter who hit a home run—a go-ahead home run, and even a splash hit [a home run that lands in McCovey Cove outside Oracle Park]—had disappeared.

The crowd glared at Lee Jung-woo as he touched home plate. Derek, who was already there, made a joke, and Lee Jung-woo endured the boos as if he was used to it.

“It’s not like it’s the first time, is it?”

“Yeah, you usually get that kind of reaction at away games.”

Understanding the crowd’s reaction because he knew he had just done something outrageous, Lee Jung-woo quietly returned to the dugout, but the other Braves players didn’t.

Ignoring the glares and jeers from the crowd, the Braves players celebrated the comeback by mobbing Lee Jung-woo, which only intensified the tension in the stadium. However, Ilya Danilov, who continued to pitch well and struck out the following batters, somewhat calmed things down.

“Let’s turn it around again!”

“Baseball starts in the bottom of the 9th! It’s just beginning!”

And then came the bottom of the 9th.

The crowd roared again, buoyed by the fact that the one-run deficit remained unchanged. They hoped for a miracle at the very end.

But as the out count increased and the red lights on the scoreboard lit up one by one, the hope they had stubbornly clung to slowly faded.

“Please… just one run!”

“Hang in there! You can do it!”

“Home run! One home run and it’s a tie!”

They tried to shout and clap, desperately trying to revive their will to continue the game, but in the end…

[Strikeout. Braves closer, Warren Stevenson, finally finishes the game himself!]

The end had come.

A three-pitch strikeout. The closer, having ended the game with his own hands, roared in triumph, and the field was soon swarming with Braves players pouring out from the bench and the outfield.

The Giants were nowhere to be seen amidst the celebration.

[Score 6 to 5. The Braves win the third game and sweep the Division Series for the second year in a row! They advance to the Championship Series!]

The Giants would not be in the postseason that followed either.

If it were Truist Park [the Atlanta Braves’ home stadium], it would have been filled with cheers and anticipation for the next day, but Oracle Park, where even the bright sun had set, was just chilly.

A sweep loss. The Giants were frustrated by the elimination they faced at home.

The sea breeze blowing from McCovey Cove was cold, but the energy radiating from the frustrated fans was even worse.

“It’s okay! We can do better next year!”

“We always do well in even-numbered years! Let’s aim for next year!”

“Ilya! You were freaking awesome today! But next time, come with blonde hair! Like usual!”

“Harding! We look forward to your performance next year!”

But as time passed, whether the shock had subsided or they had regained their composure, they shook off their sadness and encouraged the players, who were bowing their heads like sinners, with generous applause and praise.

“Win the championship! Freaking win it!”

“If you win like this and then get your butts kicked by the Dodgers in the Championship Series, I’m going to kill you! Do well!”

“Don’t embarrass us! Make it so that people say we lost because you guys were freaking good!”

They also congratulated the opposing team, the Braves, or rather, urged them not to lose to the Dodgers like last year, and asked them to win the championship so that their loss wouldn’t be a source of shame. They accepted the defeat.

The game had started when the sun was high in the sky, but Oracle Park, now shrouded in darkness, marked the end of its 35th year.

Hoping that the stadium would be open for even longer next year.

####

[Atlanta Braves, Division Series Sweep! The Strongest in the Division Series?]

[Jung-woo Lee Saves the Team with a Splash Hit! Hero of the Division Series!]

[Lee Jung-woo’s Storm Doesn’t Stop in the Postseason! 7 Hits, 10 RBIs, 2 Home Runs!]

As always, praise followed the winner and criticism followed the loser after the game.

People were impressed by the Braves’ postseason performance, particularly their dominant showing in the Division Series for the second consecutive year.

Especially at the last moment, they practically worshipped Lee Jung-woo, who crushed the Giants’ hopes with a single swing. Videos of these scenes were uploaded to various video streaming sites.

One swing that sent shivers down their spines. Those who witnessed the home run that completely shattered the opponent’s will and dispelled the eerie tension could only react in such a way.

[The Best Hit by the Best Player.]

[Jung-woo Lee, Reverse Splash Hit in the Division Series!]

-I was thrilled.

-The ball fell into the sea, and I almost crapped my pants.

-Don’t taint a great scene with something dirty… I’ll only think about that now.

-That’s the star quality Lee has. His skill is a given, but he delivers the most amazing swing at the most important moment?

-I agree. He’s a player you can’t help but stan [support enthusiastically] just by looking at his skills. But I can’t help but love him more because of this.

-This is the scene that shows why Lee is the best superstar in Major League Baseball.

Like this, there were people who couldn’t help but admire and be amazed by Lee Jung-woo and the Braves. On the other hand, the Giants, who started Ilya Danilov earlier despite his tight rest schedule and ended up losing, even providing the memorable scene of a Division Series splash hit, were ridiculed.

[‘Greed Ended in Tragedy’ The Giants Lose Despite Ilya Danilov’s Relief Appearance!]

[The Giants Collapse Despite Similar Hitting Throughout the Series! ‘They Don’t Know How to Secure Victory!’]

[Shocking Result of 3 Consecutive Losses, the Reason is a Lack of Concentration in the Late Innings!]

The complete defeat was made even more ironic by the fact that they weren’t significantly outhit, but rather showed a similar performance. The criticism also stemmed from the shocking nature of the late-inning collapse.

In addition, they questioned the decision to have Ilya Danilov make a surprise appearance, which was the focal point of the third game, labeling it as the greed of the player or the team, the San Francisco Giants.

Of course, there were quite a few people who praised him for his dominant pitching performance, except for the home run.

Also, the game itself was well-received, as it featured many memorable moments in the final third game.

Unlike the Division Series between the Atlanta Braves and the San Francisco Giants, which concluded with numerous storylines and memorable scenes, the series between the Dodgers and the Cubs in the opposite bracket was a bit more intense.

[Dodgers Lose Game 1! Aidan Styles, Disappointing Pitching with 5.2 Innings and 5 Runs!]

[Cubs Take the First Win! All the Way to the Championship Series?]

Contrary to pre-series predictions that they would easily win with overwhelming power, ace Aidan Styles, the starting pitcher for the first game, led the team to defeat with a disappointing performance.

He hadn’t performed well in the postseason last year either, causing Dodgers fans to worry.

[‘The Second Kershaw’ [referring to Clayton Kershaw, a legendary Dodgers pitcher], Aidan Styles, Following His Role Model Even in the Postseason?]

[The Curse of the Dodgers Aces’ Fall Baseball Continues!]

-Isn’t Aidan a chicken? His postseason record isn’t very good…

-He always hears the Kershaw comparisons. Is he following Kershaw even in the postseason?

-Kershaw won the championship. Well, it took a little longer than his skills…

-I don’t need to be similar to this…

Whether the title of the Second Kershaw had become a curse, the fans were horrified by his struggles in the postseason, but the Dodgers reassured them by winning the next two games.

[Dodgers Reach 2 Wins First and the Cubs are on the Brink, Who Will Be the Winner?]

[The Cubs’ Dream of Challenging for the Title After 19 Years, Is This How It Ends?]

[2 Consecutive Wins After Losing Game 1. Are the Dodgers Preparing for a Battle with the Braves Early?]

Seeing the Dodgers quickly regain their lead, the media praised them, believing they had found their rhythm. The Dodgers fans, remembering last year, also had expectations for reaching the World Series this year.

But the Division Series was not easy. Contrary to their expectations, the Cubs won the fourth game, forcing a final game.

[LA Dodgers Win NLDS Game 5! Arthur Hunter’s Cool Home Run Sealed the Victory!]

But in the end, the goddess of victory favored the Dodgers despite the challenges. With that, the Braves’ NLCS [National League Championship Series] opponent was decided.

LA Dodgers. The opponent they met at the threshold of the World Series, the challenger for the throne, and the true champion of the league were the same guys as last year.

####

A very short break was given until the Championship Series. Lee Jung-woo, who was lazing around at home to preserve his stamina, ate according to his diet and was fiddling with his cell phone, when he caught sight of several article titles.

[The Strongest in the Division Series! Braves Reunite with Last Year’s Enemy!]

[‘Similar Repertoire to Last Year’ Will the Results Be the Same?]

[Dodgers and Braves Face Off Again Following Last Year, Is LA Smiling and Atlanta Feeling Uneasy?]

Last year, the Braves lost to the Dodgers in the Championship Series, suffering a miserable defeat of 2 wins and 4 losses.

Several articles subtly referenced that series and discussed the upcoming Championship Series, and the comments were filled with curses from Braves supporters because the titles were quite provocative.

But despite such fierce reactions, these kinds of articles continued to pour out.

‘Anyone would think we’re some kind of evil empire.’

The postseason is unpredictable, and these kinds of narratives always attach themselves to the ‘successful team’ Braves.

In addition, they coincidentally met the Dodgers again as their opponent in the Championship Series, making it perfect for sensationalizing the story.

There are many people who want the Braves, who were the strongest team this year, to fall.

‘They’re the top dog, not just the Dodgers, but an overwhelming top dog even when looking at the entire league.’

It’s absurd from the listener’s point of view, but it’s understandable. At this point, the Braves are the top dog to an unmatched degree.

In the regular season, they recorded the most wins in a single season and were considered the strongest ever, and they advanced to the Championship Series by sweeping the Division Series.

The Braves have been closer to the word victory than anyone else, at least for this year, and they are still very close, so the top dog is like this in the eyes of the people.

If such a tremendous, all-time top dog smoothly takes the postseason, it’s not a very compelling story, so the media is promoting the underdog narrative even more for the sake of box office success.

The best box office draw, Dodgers vs. Giants, which would have been incredibly exciting, is gone, so they’re trying to create a box office hit in another way…

‘That’s bullcrap.’

Of course, fans and players regarded such narratives as just bullcrap.

‘It’s enough to be embarrassed once. And losing to the same opponent is rather boring.’

The current Braves were too strong to simply become the Goliath the media wanted them to be. Having learned from the humiliation last time, they were well-prepared for the game.

Unlike last year, when a bit of complacency crept in, the team atmosphere maintained a pleasant winning mentality while maintaining appropriate tension.

Also, the stamina, which is the most important thing in the postseason, was not lacking much even in the postseason thanks to the meticulous care of the trainers.

In addition, Lee Jung-woo also felt good.

‘My physical condition is much better than I thought.’

It was in good enough condition that he would have thought it was good even if it was not the end of the season, but the middle or early part of the season. There was so much power swirling inside him that it would be too wasteful to end the season in the Championship Series like last time.

Enough power to lightly ignore the jinxes or curses forcibly given by the media.

‘Since my condition is good, there’s no way I can lose so futilely like last time.’

So all that’s left is to beat the opponent and advance, no matter what the media or Dodgers fans say.