When It's Time to Run (4)
Kim Yuntae steps into the box.
With the speedy Lee Hajun standing on second, the Warriors have to be careful.
In that instant Tae Minho, who had been staring at his catcher's mitt, spun and fired to second.
There was no real danger. The second-base umpire spread his arms out of courtesy.
"Booooooo! Throw it home!"
One mere pickoff attempt and the home crowd was already raining boos.
Lee Hajun's steal in the first inning brought home the first run of the game. Tae Minho is determined not to let it happen again.
If the Warriors give up another run here, it could really hurt.
Just as much as a batter squaring up a pitch, the battery's battle to hold the runner at second was drawing every eye.
The runner is going!
Thwack—!
Lee Hajun's start was pure lightning. A high fastball. Catcher Lee Gyuho was already on his feet.
Throw to third!
In that moment the fiercest battlefield was third base. Warriors third baseman Kim Hojung stretched desperately, arm fully extended, trying to seal the bag.
The throw—!
Ahhhhhh!
Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack!
Hawks fans' thunder sticks erupted like fireworks. And Lee Hajun, who had been aiming for third, switched targets mid-flight and locked onto home plate instead.
Even though the Warriors had been fully prepared for the steal, Hajun's jump was simply too quick, and Lee Gyuho's throw came in harder than usual. By the time third baseman Kim Hojung glumly fielded the ball, Hajun had already completed his bloodless invasion of home, soaking in the roaring cheers as he scored the insurance run.
Hitting, running, defending—Lee Hajun is simply dominating this game.
Haha, today's performance is basically him saying last game was no fluke.
"Nice!"
"That's insane."
"Didn't the throw almost get there?"
"·····"
Thump! Thump!
Hajun's helmet and the muscles of his back barely survived the rough congratulatory hands of his seniors.
"We can breathe a little now."
"It's not over yet."
Daejeon Hawks manager Park Taesik never let the sharp edge leave his eyes. He trusted the bullpen, but asking them to hold three more innings against the lineup that hit the most home runs in the league was never something he could take for granted.
"Hoo·····"
"Good work."
"Ah!"
Hajun accepted the sports drink Park Jisu held out.
"Thank you."
The moment the words left his mouth he tipped it back and drained it. He hadn't covered that much ground, yet standing on base under constant pickoff pressure demanded real mental stamina.
"How did you handle the changeup?"
"Sorry?"
"You haven't faced Tae Minho that many times."
"·····"
Tae Minho's changeup was always nasty; it was also a pitch that lived and died with the pitcher's feel. Today both the depth and the velocity separation had been at their absolute peak.
"I was looking for the fastball."
"The fastball?"
"Yeah."
Hajun took another long pull from the bottle.
"Even if I'd seen him a few more times, that changeup is nearly impossible to square up cleanly. So I basically just threw it away from the start."
"But if you're sitting fastball, don't you get eaten alive by the change?"
"It was confusing····· but somehow it worked out. Second at-bat I was completely helpless against it."
Time the fastball. Don't get fooled by the off-speed. That was the ideal, yet in a sport where the pitcher held every advantage it was brutally hard to pull off. At least today Hajun was producing the best possible results.
Even better than I expected·····
When Park Jisu had reunited with Hajun in the first team, he had already thought the swing looked different. Both of them had been high-volume workers back with the Lakers, so they had watched each other take batting practice constantly; the difference hit him that much harder. He had decided then that Lee Hajun was a far better hitter than people realized.
"Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Three-pitch strikeout!"
Thwack—!
"Strike three!"
One of the league's hardest throwers, Daejeon Hawks closer Park Sihye, finished the game. Final score: 2–7. The Hawks never even needed to call on their usual finisher.
Three-pitch strikeout! A 159 km/h fastball. The Daejeon Hawks take the first game of this precious series.
The Hawks, dreaming of a second-half surge, had just tripped up the Warriors who were chasing first place.
"Hoo·····"
It's over.
Three-for-three, two steals, two runs scored. As shortstop he had also been the heart of the infield defense. Hajun had helped push the team's win streak to three. He had been lifted before his final at-bat once the lead grew comfortable, but he felt no real regret.
"Hajun, get ready!"
"Huh?"
"Broadcast interview starts right now."
Just like the previous game, a team staffer came looking for him. Lee Hajun had been chosen as the face of the victory interview again.
Better than last time.
At least this time he wouldn't have to do it soaking wet. Hajun left his teammates and headed elsewhere, ready to finish the day's work.
"Home run! Guk Byeongcheol!"
Day two of the three-game series between the Daegu Warriors and the Daejeon Hawks. Top of the fourth, nobody on, runner at first. Warriors fans prayed that their five-hole hitter Guk Byeongcheol would send one over the fence at Hawks Park.
Crack!
Pulled!
It never reached the outfield, but Guk had generated a low-launch, blistering line drive. One hop. The angle wasn't straight at the shortstop or third baseman, yet it wasn't the kind of ball infielders simply give up on either.
Got it! Lee Hajun!
Hawks shortstop Lee Hajun tumbled to his left and snared the ball that should have ripped through the infield. Then he calmly fired to second.
"Out!"
Ji Gyeongjun snatched the ball from his glove and whipped it to first in one fluid motion.
"Out! Double play!"
Guk Byeongcheol lifted his helmet as if to slam it into the dirt, then barely stopped himself.
Fantastic play by shortstop Lee Hajun! He bails out pitcher Ryze.
Looking at the trajectory I was sure it was through. Incredible. And the follow-through throw was perfect too.
Bases empty, two outs, instead of runners on first and second with nobody out. Even though the Warriors were still batting, Hawks fans danced along with the cheerleaders and sang at the top of their lungs.
Thwack—!
"Strike three!"
A perfect sweeper for the strikeout. Ryze keeps the scoreboard clean again.
As if answering the rock-solid infield defense, Ryze's sweeper danced.
Crack—!
"Foul!"
"Tch."
Hajun let out an irritated click of the tongue. Bottom of the fifth, one out, runners on first and second. After Yu Seungjin and Tae Minho the day before, another tense pitchers' duel was unfolding. Right-hander Ariel, listed as the Warriors' number-two starter this season, had been even more consistent than ace Tae Minho. Four-seam, moving fastball, breaking balls, off-speed—his rainbow of pitches had kept the Hawks scoreless so far.
Thwack—!
"Ball!"
A high fastball nearly at face level; Hajun held off.
Lee Hajun has made outs in his first two trips, but he still refuses to go quietly.
Every team has to treat him as a real threat now. He finds hits, and more than that, he's just so stubborn.
No pitcher wanted to walk a leadoff man with speed and baserunning instincts. Plenty still privately believed his recent tear was just a temporary peak. Most big-league pitchers carried serious pride, after all.
Two-and-two count.
Ariel delivered.
Ohhh!
A big, beautiful curveball. The batter never offered. The one-hopper took a wicked bounce and skipped past veteran catcher Lee Gyuho's block.
Ball gets away and both runners advance a base! Hawks now have a golden chance—one out, second and third!
"Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Lee Hajun hit!"
"That won't get a hit—louder!"
Hawks fans were desperate for someone to break the 0–0 deadlock.
Gulp.
Catcher Lee Gyuho's face was grim.
Signs aren't coming easily. The Warriors battery is being extremely careful.
With first base open they may even have to consider going beyond careful and making it really tough.
The broadcast booth was gently floating the idea that the Warriors might simply walk Lee Hajun. His recent stretch had been electric. Even though he was 0-for-2 today, he looked locked in. This was a hitter who until recently couldn't even hold down a regular job—yet no one watching the game and watching that swing could tilt their head in doubt. Instinct alone screamed danger.
Full count. What does he throw?
Ariel stayed calm and delivered his most trusted pitch, to his most trusted location against a lefty: a diving changeup away.
Crack—!
He had aimed for the low-outside strike, hoping either to draw a swing or freeze him looking. Walking him had never completely left his mind. Yet Hajun simply punched the changeup the other way and found the barrel.
Squared up!
Even if the pitcher on the mound stretched both arms to the sky he could never have reached it. The backspin line drive rocketed over second base and dropped in front of the center fielder.
Base hit! Base hit! Lee Hajun's clutch single!
"Woooooooooo!"
A scream more than a cheer. Hawks fans waved their arms until they nearly came off, roaring the runners home.
Runner from third scores! Runner from second scores too! Lee Hajun's two-RBI single shatters the 0–0 deadlock!
Hajun calmly peeled off his gear.
From first base Hajun eyed second. Number-two hitter Kim Yuntae stepped in, yet the fans, still riding the high of Hajun's RBI single, were already hoping the first-base runner would steal.
Crack—!
Kim Yuntae's single. Combined with Hajun's speed it became first and third, one out. Still too early to pull the pitcher. The man on the mound was a trusted ace. Even so, Warriors manager Woo Jinchul had the bullpen stirring.
Crack—!
The thing you half-expect sometimes actually happens.
Pulled! Left field! Toward the wall!
There was no need to watch Hawks three-hole hitter Park Jinhyeok's ball any longer.
It's gone! Park Jinhyeok's three-run homer drops into the left-field upper deck! Score is 0–5!
This is huge. This is really huge.
Pitcher Ariel dropped his head. Warriors fans who had come hoping to finally stomp the ninth-place team—who, even after dropping the first game, had never doubted they would take the series—dropped their heads with him.
Thwack—!
"Strike three!"
Swinging strikeout! Ballgame! Final score 4–7, the Daejeon Hawks secure the series win!
The Warriors had clawed back from five runs down and shown the fight of a first-place contender all the way to the end. It simply wasn't enough to flip the result.
Clench.
Got it.
The broadcast cameras caught Hawks manager Park Taesik pumping a tight fist. Two foreign slots still empty, yet the second half had opened with two straight wins. A new wind was rising.