Korean Series (2)

Thwack!! [Kim Kang-jun crushes it!!! The ball is soaring deep!! It clears the fence!!! A three-run homer in the top of the fifth flips the game!!!]

The caster's ecstatic roar blended with the crowd's thunderous cheers, signaling the start of a dazzling victory party. While Jang Won-sang had shut down the Lions through five innings in Game 2, Pierband had given up two runs and fallen behind. Then Kim Kang-jun's spectacular chase-home run turned the tide. Pierband gutted it out through the sixth, and Kim Hyun-se, Jo Sang-hoon, and Son Seung-hyuk locked down the back end, securing a 3-2 win.

After a day off, they traveled to Daegu for Game 3 at Lions Park. With Van Heiken's masterful outing backed by the bats, they notched a 9-0 shutout, sweeping to a 3-0 series lead—just one win from the championship.

Pierband and Van Heiken had shone in the first two games, sure, but if the Lions' lineup had shown any real fire, things could have gone differently. Instead, their hitters and pitchers looked utterly listless. Their second starter, Jang Won-sang, had performed well, but without more run support, he couldn't hold on.

Now just one ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠game remained. A loss would mean playing more, but I had no intention of letting that happen. Honestly, it was getting boring. The opponents had completely lost their fight—not just in the field, but at the plate too. There was no desperation, no chase, unworthy of the Korean Series. After grinding all year to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠reach this stage, nothing felt as hollow as facing a team with no will to battle. The massive Game 1 loss seemed to have broken their spirit.

A lion gives its all even for a single rabbit. That's why today's starter was Lee Ji-seung. He'd pitched on Monday, rested three days, and was ready again for Friday. I'd anticipated a sweep, so in Game 1, I'd pulled him after 70 pitches in the sixth when we were already up 17-0—victory all but sealed. My ace was my trump card for clinching this series.

The Heroes Gallery was in absolute ecstasy. Years of taunts about player-trading and being a broke-ass team exploded into euphoric joy at the championship doorstep. They'd fallen short of second place last year, but this year felt like the real deal.

With fans' sky-high expectations, I carefully set the lineup. Starter Lee Ji-seung was locked in; now the fielders.

Analyzing season stats and recent form, I finalized it.

Game 4 of the Korean Series went down at Daegu Lions Park. Games 3 through 5 were a home stand for them. Not that we planned to let it get that far.

Figaro took the mound with eyes burning far fiercer than in Game 1. It wasn't just him—the cornered Lions players all shared that fire. Whatever chaos had erupted before the series seemed sorted; with their backs to the wall, they had nowhere left to retreat. They couldn't betray the fans who'd backed them all year.

But we felt the same. That's pro ball—fighting tooth and nail for your fans.

Leadoff: Kang Hyun-jun. Big game, so I tweaked the order. Lee Geun-taek drew the start, Kim Kang-jun back to DH. His glove work had improved, but not Park Byung-hyun levels yet.

Kang Hyun-jun stepped up cool as ice. Rookie or not, that rock-solid poise was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠his edge. Elite contact skills and wheels made him prime leadoff material.

Paang!! Figaro's heater blasted the zone—155 km/h four-seamer. He was out for revenge, unleashing filthy stuff. His resolve hit Hyun-jun like a wave.

Hyun-jun cracked a smile. The players sensed it too—the Korean Series had felt empty, but Figaro's fire made it real again. A once-in-a-lifetime stage, finally alive.

Hyun-jun gripped tighter. He timed the fastball, unleashing the bat.

Tik! A bit high—foul. Timing was on point, though. Reacting to a pitch seen just twice? Pure talent.

Tak! Tik! He cut back-to-back heaters. All four pitches? Straight gas in the zone. No off-speed, pure pride—Figaro wouldn't blink first. The fifth was low-outside, but Hyun-jun held... and the ump called strike. Borderline, fair call.

"Ughhh!!" Hyun-jun groaned in frustration, trudging back.

Thwack! No. 2 Kim Seong-ha pulled the first-pitch heater for a single. Body-side heat, smoked. While Hyun-jun saw five, Seong-ha timed up from the on-deck circle.

No. 3: Kim Kang-jun, killer on velocity. Figaro knew, mixing careful. First changeup—Kang-jun didn't bite, took ball one. Second zipped inside; he bailed. Third rode high. Rattled after Seong-ha's hit, control slipping.

Three balls. Kang-jun's eyes sharpened. Normally wait, but my aggressive sign said swing. He might.

Figaro deep-breathed, steadying. Fourth: high curve—"Arirang curve" to steal a strike. 155 to 120? Hitters freeze.

Not Kang-jun. He crushed it mid-drop. Power-hitting slow stuff is toughest, but his bulked-up frame launched it.

Thwaaack!!! Massive rip—the ball sailed over the wall. Superstars deliver when it counts.