Villain On The Mound [EN]: Chapter 279

The Mound’s Villain – Episode 279

One run allowed in the first inning.

It wasn’t great, but it wasn’t a bad start either.

However, Murakami couldn’t shake the shock.

‘A home run…?’

It wasn’t a mistake.

The ball that left his hand was perfect.

At least, that’s how he felt.

But it went over.

It was a clean home run, with no room for excuses.

‘How is this possible…?’

This meant only one thing.

Ha-sung was ahead of him in every way.

Power, speed, accuracy, etc.

It meant he was being overwhelmed in every aspect.

‘The gap was this big?’

He didn’t want to admit it.

There were many reasons, but the biggest one was because of the words he had spoken.

If he admitted it here, those words would come back as arrows [hurtful criticisms].

‘It’s a fluke. He just happened to hit it perfectly by luck. I haven’t lost yet.’

Murakami engaged in mental gymnastics, desperately denying reality.

Thanks to that, he didn’t allow any more runs in the first inning.

While he was busy with his mental victory.

Ha-sung was still showing an invincible presence on the mound.

Thwack-!!

“Strike! Batter out!!”

[Strikeout! Jung Ha-sung adds two strikeouts in the 2nd inning and heads down from the mound!! Ah~]

After finishing the 2nd inning with a strikeout, Ha-sung looked towards the Japanese bench before heading down from the mound.

The camera was zoomed in on him, so the scene was captured perfectly.

The corners of his lips were raised, as if he was sneering.

[Is this a provocation from Jung Ha-sung?! He’s smiling at the Japanese dugout!]

The commentator euphemistically called it a smile, but everyone who saw it felt it.

It was clearly a smirk to anyone.

* * *

Murakami, who had allowed a home run, regained his composure.

He finished both the 2nd and 3rd innings with three up, three down, and came down from the mound.

[Murakami allowed a home run in the 1st inning, breaking his scoreless streak in this tournament, but he seems to be finding stability by striking out all batters in the next 2 innings.]

[Regardless of his words, he’s definitely a skilled player. He received the Sawamura Award in Japan [an award given to the best pitcher in Japanese baseball], so it’s natural that he’s good.]

Murakami’s pitching was definitely overwhelming the Korean national team.

But the spotlight wasn’t on him as much.

The reason was that his opponent was Ha-sung.

Thwack-!!

“Strike! Batter out!!”

[Strikeout! Jung Ha-sung records his 10th strikeout of the game!]

[He’s already struck out 10 batters while facing 12 hitters. It’s unbelievable.]

Ha-sung repeatedly sent the Japanese batters back to the dugout.

Even though the batting order had gone full circle, it was difficult to attack his pitches.

“How does that ball move so much?”

“The movement is insane. It’s definitely a fastball, but it curves like a snake in front of the home plate.”

“Sometimes it doesn’t drop anymore and just goes over the bat.”

In the dugout, the batters who had faced Ha-sung were complaining.

They were batters representing Japan, but touching Ha-sung’s ball was close to impossible.

“How can you praise the enemy like that?”

Was he displeased with that sight?

Murakami spat out harsh words to the batters and walked towards the mound with his glove.

The batters who heard his harsh words frowned.

“That bastard never holds back, even to his seniors.”

“Hey, hey, leave him alone. His rudeness isn’t new. Let’s go out for defense.”

“Haa…”

The atmosphere in the Japanese dugout began to crumble.

Whether he knew it or not, Murakami, standing on the mound, lightly warmed up and went through his routine.

‘I’ll definitely get him this inning.’

His mind was focused solely on Ha-sung, who was in the waiting batter’s box.

Kim Hyun-sik, the leadoff hitter for the Korean national team, felt offended when he saw that.

‘I’m the one facing him first. He’s paying more attention to Ha-sung than me.’

Kim Hyun-sik was also a batter representing Korea.

He was a player with highly accurate hitting, to the point where he had the nickname “Batting Machine.”

In addition, he also had power and speed, so he was in charge of the leadoff role in the team.

Although he was playing as the 2nd batter here because Lee Yong-soo was present, his skills didn’t go anywhere.

‘It’s been a while since someone has ignored me this much.’

He was angry, but he didn’t lose his reason.

Rather, he was thinking about how to use this situation.

‘If he ignores me, he’ll want to deal with me quickly.’

That was the answer.

‘He’ll want to send a guy like me back quickly and focus on facing Ha-sung.’

Murakami sent the signals himself.

Kim Hyun-sik’s mind raced when he saw that.

‘Given his personality, he’ll try to compete with me rather than using bait pitches.’

Kim Hyun-sik, who had taken his stance, gripped his bat short.

‘There’s a high possibility that he’ll throw his specialty, a fastball.’

After finishing his stance, Murakami wound up and threw the ball.

“Hmph!!”

Whoosh-!!

As expected, the ball flew towards the outside low course.

It was a very good ball that grazed the zone.

Speed, power, movement.

All were excellent.

But Kim Hyun-sik had already anticipated that ball.

Dealing with it wasn’t difficult.

‘Hit it as is…’

Swing!

‘I’ll hit it!’

Clang!!

The ball hit the bat that was swung simply.

The ball, which bounced once in the infield, flew between the shortstop and the third baseman.

The shortstop dove to catch the ball while running.

Thud!

Whoosh-!!

The shortstop, who had slid on the grass, quickly got up like a tumbler [a toy that rights itself when knocked over] and threw the ball to first base.

“Hmph!!”

Whoosh-!!

The ball, which flew with all its might, bounced once and went into the first baseman’s mitt.

But before that, Kim Hyun-sik’s foot had already stepped on the base.

“Safe! Safe!!”

[Safe! Kim Hyun-sik, the leadoff hitter for the Korean national team, hits the first hit of the game and succeeds in getting on base!]

[That was a very good hit! He didn’t get greedy and pushed the ball to make a hit!]

The meaning of this hit was significant.

It meant that a batter other than Ha-sung had attacked Murakami, and that a runner was on base.

[With a runner on first base, Jung Ha-sung steps up to the plate!]

The stadium buzzed once again with Ha-sung’s appearance.

* * *

Ha-sung, who was at the plate, was relaxed.

Murakami’s irritation soared at the sight of him slowly going through his routine.

‘That damn bastard… Does he not feel any pressure facing me at all?’

The very fact that he was thinking this meant that Murakami himself was feeling pressure from Ha-sung.

But he didn’t know that fact.

No, even if he knew, he seemed to be ignoring it.

‘I’ll get him this time…!’

He had already said those words.

If he couldn’t get Ha-sung even once in that situation, he would become a laughingstock.

That could never happen.

Murakami put rosin on his hand and stood on the mound, and catcher Abe sent a signal.

‘Walk him intentionally.’

A signal for an intentional walk came out.

Murakami took his foot off the pitching plate and looked at the dugout.

Japanese national team coach Yoshino’s face distorted at his actions.

‘That moron! What is he doing? If he looks at the dugout in this situation, everyone will know that a play is being called!’

Murakami’s actions were something that a professional shouldn’t do.

That meant that he didn’t have any mental 余裕 [yoyu, leeway or composure] right now.

‘Damn it… He wants me to intentionally walk him? Against Jung Ha-sung?’

He understood it in his head.

But he imagined what kind of situation would unfold after that.

He imagined what the fans would say to him.

However, he couldn’t go against the words of Yoshino, the national team coach and an elder of Japanese baseball.

A moment of dilemma.

A thought that he shouldn’t have came to his mind.

‘Rather than intentionally walking him…!’

Murakami, who had taken his pitching stance again, took a slide step from the set position.

‘I’d rather…!’

And he threw the ball with all his might.

‘Get out of here with a hit by pitch!’

Whoosh-!!

The ball that left his hand flew quickly.

[He threw the first pitch…! Ah!!]

The commentator exclaimed when he saw the direction the ball was flying.

[It’s dangerous!]

The commentator also shouted in a urgent voice.

The ball that left Murakami’s hand was flying straight towards Ha-sung’s head.

When people were surprised at the trajectory that seemed like it would hit his head if he stood still.

Swoosh!

Ha-sung only leaned his upper body back.

Immediately after, the ball narrowly passed in front of his eyes.

The ball passed through the catcher’s box and the umpire and hit the panel behind and bounced out.

[He missed the ball! First base runner Kim Hyun-sik runs to second base!]

Kim Hyun-sik ran to second base without missing the opportunity.

The situation turned urgent, but Ha-sung stood still at the plate and stared silently at Murakami on the mound.

‘He dodged my ball without even moving?’

Murakami was looking at Ha-sung without avoiding his gaze.

Abe, who caught the ball, hurriedly blocked Ha-sung’s path in the atmosphere of the two players as if they were about to collide.

“Calm down. It wasn’t intentional.”

Ha-sung still stared at Murakami, although he understood Abe’s words thanks to him speaking in English.

[Ah~ The atmosphere is flowing strangely.]

As the atmosphere became fierce, the players in both dugouts began to move.

It was an atmosphere where a bench clearing seemed like it would happen at any moment, but the situation was settled when the coach came out of the Korean dugout.

“Are you hurt? Did you get hit?”

“I didn’t get hit. So don’t worry.”

The coach, relieved by Ha-sung’s words, calmed him down.

“It looks like he threw it on purpose, but if you get angry here, you’ll be at a disadvantage.”

“I want to swing my bat, but I’ll get ejected if I do that, right?”

“Will you only get ejected? You may even get further disciplinary action.”

This tournament is managed by the Olympic Committee, not Major League Baseball.

Even if it was Ha-sung, he couldn’t avoid disciplinary action if a violent incident occurred.

“I understand.”

“Don’t get too excited and go your style.”

The corners of Ha-sung’s lips went up at the words to go his style.

“Yes.”

* * *

The situation was resolved and the umpire gave Murakami a warning.

“If you throw another beanball [a pitch thrown at the batter’s head], you will be ejected.”

Murakami frowned at being unable to throw any more beanballs, but he couldn’t help it.

‘I should have hit him in the face.’

He felt regret.

If he had hit him in the face, he wouldn’t have been able to play in today’s game anymore.

That way, this match could be nullified through an interview.

Then the catcher’s signal came out.

‘Make sure to walk him.’

Murakami frowned at the signal to intentionally walk him for sure.

‘He’s telling me to walk him even though his reaction would have slowed down because the ball flew at his face?’

It was a difficult decision to understand.

That meant that he was afraid of Ha-sung that much.

It was then.

Ha-sung, who entered the plate, suddenly raised his bat with one hand.

And then he pointed to the right field fence.

[Ah~ What is this?! Is Jung Ha-sung calling his shot?!]

Ha-sung’s call shot came out.

“Play ball!!”

‘That damn bastard…!’

It was a call shot in an international tournament that no one had expected.

Murakami’s reason was cut off when he saw that.

‘Oh yeah…’

Excited, he threw the ball with all his might from the set position.

‘Try to hit it!!’

Whoosh-!!

The ball that left his hand flew with a fierce speed.

The course was the outside low course.

It was a ball that was accurately controlled.

Even if he hit it, it would be a ball that would fly towards the left field, not the right field.

If he forcibly pulled it, it would be difficult to hit the sweet spot of the bat, so he wouldn’t be able to put power into it properly.

In other words, no matter how he hit it, Ha-sung’s call shot would be broken.

That was Murakami’s thought.

But.

Swing-!!

There was one thing that Murakami had overlooked.

That was Ha-sung’s power.

Clang!!

[He hit it!!]

With Ha-sung’s full swing, the batted ball flew towards the right fielder in an instant.

The right fielder looked up and slowly retreated, chasing the batted ball.

Murakami was relieved at the right fielder’s actions as if he was trying to catch the highly raised batted ball.

‘His power is good. To send that ball to the outfield fly.’

He had no choice but to admit his power.

But it was strange.

‘How far is it going?’

The right fielder continued to retreat without stopping.

And.

Thud!

When the right fielder stopped by hitting the fence, the batted ball disappeared outside the fence as it was.

[It went over!! Jung Ha-sung hits a consecutive home run!! He succeeds in calling his shot!!]

Murakami, who was in despair, sat down on the mound.