Villain On The Mound [EN]: Chapter 83

Villain on the Mound – Episode 83

Villain on the Mound 83

[Athletics One Win Away from Championship Series!]

[‘The End’ Works in Division Series Too! Jung Ha-sung Protects Team’s Victory with Perfect 1 Inning!]

After the second game, articles analyzing the results flooded the internet.

-Where did all the people who said Jung Ha-sung was overrated go? lol

-Yeah. 1 inning perfect, sucks for you.

-Jung Ha-sung was Jung Ha-sung.

-The postseason is no different.

-I was nervous when he was up against Mauer.

-It all ended up as fouls lol

-The result was a strikeout.

-Let’s end the Division Series like this-!

The Division Series is a best-of-five series.

The Athletics, having won the first two games, now only need to win one of the 3rd and 4th games held in Minnesota to secure their place in the Championship Series.

But it wasn’t going to be that easy.

Clang-!!

“Whoaaaaaa!!”

[Mauer crushes the 3rd pitch!! Perfectly splits the gap in left-center!! 3rd base runner! 2nd base runner both score! Mauer records a 2-run double, bringing in all runners!!]

[Perfect pitching! Mauer takes down Bailey, the Athletics’ setup man!]

The momentum of the game was shifting.

* * *

[Minnesota Twins! Land a counterattacking blow against the Athletics!]

[Joe Mauer, the catcher blessed by the baseball gods, delivers a great performance! 4 hits, 2 runs, 1 home run, and 4 RBIs!!]

[Joe Mauer saves the Twins from elimination!]

Mauer’s outstanding performance narrowed the series score to 2-1.

The 3rd game victory was a significant win for the Twins.

[What do you think of the Twins’ victory this time?]

[First, Mauer’s hitting is starting to heat up. Mauer, who struggled against the Athletics’ pitching in the 1st and 2nd games, exploded in the 3rd game.]

[Mauer was completely shut down by Jung Ha-sung in the 2nd game, but in the 3rd game, he capitalized on his abilities and led the team to victory.]

[The fact that Jung Ha-sung struck out Mauer in the previous game makes Mauer’s performance even more impressive.]

Mauer’s performance was so impactful that it even elevated the perception of Ha-sung.

That’s how impressive his performance was.

[Although the score is 2-1, the Athletics are still in a favorable position.]

[But if the Twins counterattack in the 4th game, the situation could drastically change. The Twins, having gained momentum, could be seen as having the advantage.]

[The 4th game will be the turning point.]

[That’s right. It’s not just that the game becomes tied, but they also seize the momentum.]

[Will the Twins be able to mount a comeback? Or will the Athletics secure their spot in the Championship Series? Please look forward to the 4th game tomorrow!]

The Athletics and Twins Division Series headed to the 4th game.

And another Division Series that was being held simultaneously was a heated battle.

[Yankees and Red Sox engage in a war of attrition.]

[The rivalry between these two teams is legendary. No baseball fan can be unaware.]

[They are forever linked by the Curse of the Bambino, right?]

[That’s right. By trading away Babe Ruth, the ‘Bambino’ and a baseball icon, the Red Sox were doomed to fail to win the World Series for decades.]

[And the team Babe Ruth went to was the Yankees.]

Yankees and Red Sox.

The two teams representing Major League Baseball have cultivated a fierce rivalry for decades.

There was no way those two teams could simply have a peaceful series when they met in the Division Series.

A bench-clearing brawl had already occurred twice, and several questionable plays were made.

It was generating a lot of media attention.

[If the Yankees win today’s game, they will secure their place in the Championship Series with a sweep of 3-0.]

[So far, that seems very likely. Rodrigo, who was more sluggish than usual in the regular season, is having a dominant performance in the postseason.]

Rodrigo barely achieved 30 home runs and 100 RBIs this season.

It was still a great record, but his overall performance was noticeably lower than Rodrigo’s previous seasons.

Rodrigo’s power seemed diminished, leading to rumors of performance-enhancing drug use.

But he was making a significant comeback in the postseason.

Clang-!!

[Rodrigo crushes the 4th pitch!! A hit that splits the gap in left-center!! Alex Rodrigo drives in the winning run, adding to his RBI total!]

Thanks to Rodrigo’s performance, the Yankees defeated the Red Sox with a series score of 3-0 and secured their spot in the Championship Series.

* * *

The first team to advance to the ALCS [American League Championship Series] has been confirmed.

The Evil Empire, New York Yankees, overwhelmed their rivals, the Red Sox, with overwhelming power and were the first to arrive.

Many experts predicted the Yankees would win the World Series this season.

That’s how formidable their team was.

[Only one ticket left! The Athletics and Twins clash to claim that final spot!]

[If the Athletics win today’s game, they will secure that ticket, but if the Twins win, the momentum of the series could shift dramatically.]

[I’m eager to see what kind of match will unfold! The game begins!!]

Ha-sung, watching the game from the bullpen, recalled what manager Tony had said before the game.

(I want to end the series with today’s game. So be prepared to enter the game from the bullpen at any time.)

That meant he was going to use Ha-sung early if a critical moment arose.

‘It’s not just me. The starters are already on standby. He’s saying he’ll send them out if necessary.’

The reason for potentially using a starting pitcher in relief was obvious.

‘It was a tough pill to swallow giving up the game yesterday after putting Bailey on the mound and watching him give up a run.’

Bailey was one of the key players in the bullpen.

He had been reliable in middle relief, taking over from Ha-sung in games they were leading.

But Bailey faltered.

He struggled at the end, throwing 27 pitches.

‘His stamina has been depleted, and his confidence may be shaken by the fact that he lost the game. It’s a risk to put Bailey on the mound in the same situation.’

That’s why the strategy is to secure one inning by using the starting pitcher if necessary.

‘The coaching staff has no intention of going to the fifth game at all. They’re going to end the series here.’

A short series is a battle of momentum.

They had taken the lead by winning the 1st and 2nd games.

But by losing the 3rd game, the momentum was subtly shifting to the Twins.

If they lose the 4th game here, the 5th game will be even more dangerous.

That’s why they have to end the series in the 4th game no matter what.

‘Is it really possible?’

The problem was that the Athletics’ lineup seemed intimidated because the game was being played at the Twins’ home.

‘The victories in the 1st and 2nd games were thanks to Zack and Arnold. They scored, so I had the opportunity to close out the game.’

Zack and Arnold were at the heart of the Athletics’ lineup in this Division Series.

Because they weren’t performing well, the offense wasn’t clicking.

‘The Minnesota fans’ unwavering support for their team, and the fact that Zack and Arnold are not performing to their full potential in this high-stakes game, which is their first experience in the Division Series…’

It’s a common phenomenon.

It’s common for rookies who perform well in the regular season to struggle in the postseason.

Because it was their first experience, they were unable to perform at their best.

‘There’s nothing I can do right now.’

Ha-sung can only play in specific situations.

That’s why he couldn’t directly influence the team in this situation.

‘I have to wait. Until it’s my time.’

There was no reason to be impatient.

* * *

Players’ concentration is at its highest in the postseason.

As a result, there were many close games.

It’s difficult to score because the concentration of pitchers and fielders is heightened.

However, hitters also have high concentration, so impressive plays often occur.

Clang-!!

[He hit it!! Left fielder Arnold sprints and dives!!]

Arnold, fully extended, snagged the sinking ball.

Thud!

[He caught it! Arnold’s incredible super catch ends the inning!]

[That was a great hit and an even better defensive play! If that ball had dropped, the runner on first could have scored! Arnold’s amazing defense saves the team!]

Arnold’s outstanding defense energized the team.

And coincidentally, the second batter in the next inning was Arnold.

‘Something good can come from this.’

Ha-sung’s eyes lit up as he watched the game from the bullpen.

Good hitting often follows good defense.

This wasn’t just a saying; it was often true.

Making a great defensive play meant that he was highly focused. Because he is so focused, he can track the ball perfectly and time his dive precisely.

That player’s concentration carries over to the plate.

That’s why good hitting often follows good defense.

‘If Arnold gets a hit here, they’ll take the lead.’

Today’s game was a tight contest, with both teams having scored one point each.

One to one.

In the top of the 8th inning, with a close match unfolding, Arnold came to bat with a runner on first.

Thud!

“Ball! Base on balls!!”

[Zack! Reaches base with a walk! And Arnold, who made a spectacular catch in the previous inning, is now at the plate!]

[This Arnold at-bat is one to watch!]

[Arnold, who has yet to record a hit in today’s game! We’re eager to see if he can capitalize on this opportunity with a runner on base!]

Showing that he was locked in, Arnold laid off a breaking ball and worked the count in his favor.

Thud!!

“Ball!”

[A risky pitch! But Arnold didn’t swing, and the umpire called a ball!!]

[Arnold seems to be seeing the ball very well today. He’s laying off most breaking balls.]

[Arnold takes the lead with a three-ball, one-strike count!]

Three balls and one strike.

The pitcher had to make a decision.

It would be even more dangerous if more runners got on base.

‘It’s going to be on the outside corner.’

Ha-sung, who was watching the monitor, predicted.

In the current situation, it is very difficult for a pitcher to throw inside to the batter.

If the control is off even slightly, the probability of a hit by pitch or a walk increases.

[He threw the 5th pitch!]

The pitcher threw the ball while using a slide step [a quick delivery to prevent the runner from stealing].

The ball aimed for the outside corner, farthest from Arnold, just as Ha-sung expected.

At that moment, Arnold swung his bat.

Whoosh!!

The bat connected with the ball as it crossed the outside corner.

Clang!!

[He crushed it!!]

With a satisfying crack, Arnold watched the ball soar towards left field and started running towards first base.

And the moment he dropped the bat.

[It’s going, going, gone!!]

The ball sailed over the fence and landed in the stands.

[With a two-run home run, the Athletics take the lead 3-1!]

[Ah-! He perfectly timed the low outside pitch and crushed it! A perfect hit!]

The moment they took the lead.

The bullpen phone rang.

Sanchez, who answered the phone, nodded a few times in response and then looked at Ha-sung, who was waiting.

“Ha-sung, get ready for the 9th.”

“Yes.”

Ha-sung started to warm up.

* * *

There was no change in the score until the top of the 9th inning.

[Bottom of the 9th! The Athletics’ Closer!! Jung Ha-sung takes the mound to end the series!!]

With a two-point lead, Ha-sung took the mound to close out the game and the series.