Chapter 71
Chapter 71
"We'll send out the fifth starter against Park Si-woo."
The meaning of this choice was clear.
They would sacrifice Game 5 and focus on Games 6 and 7.
Park Si-woo had thrown a perfect game in the previous match.
Game 5 was highly likely to unfold in the same way.
If they sent out Conner Gray and lost again to Park Si-woo, there would be no turning back.
On the other hand, the Marines' two foreign players, Gale Davis and Danny Jones, had already been defeated, so it seemed entirely feasible to take this approach.
In a way, it was a perfectly rational choice.
If only the series score wasn’t 2:2.
If they gave up one more win, the Marines would need only one more victory to claim the championship.
They had to overcome that pressure and win two games at Sajik to take the title.
"This must be what it takes to win."
Coach Gwak Gu-beom nodded upon hearing the news.
He wasn’t unaware that the opponent would come at them this way.
But thinking and executing are entirely different matters.
The fact that they carried it out rather than leaving it at thought alone deserved recognition in itself.
"But that also means we're cornered."
He twisted his entire body.
It meant that the Marines had claimed a favorable position.
"We’ll push forward just like this."
There was no need to play along with the opponent’s strategy.
Changing Park Si-woo’s starting order at this stage, or pulling him after a few innings, was not part of the plan.
Park Si-woo thought the same.
He had, however, discussed things with Song Min-seok the day before.
"Alright. Sounds good."
"Is it okay after such a long break?"
"Even if it’s not, we have to. Brings back memories, doesn’t it?"
The battery’s plan revealed itself on the mound the next day.
"Strike!"
In the bottom of the first inning, Kang Jae-sung, the leadoff batter facing Park Si-woo, gritted his teeth.
‘I couldn’t believe it, but it’s real.’
Before the game, Coach Lee Jeong-hwan had told the players that Park Si-woo would focus mainly on the knuckleball today.
He intended to save as much stamina as possible to pitch again later, since the knuckleball consumed less energy than other pitches.
‘Damn, really.’
Both felt the same about each other.
It was the feeling that came from giving everything to win.
Kang Jae-sung caught his breath and gripped the bat again.
Coach Lee said, "Even if we lose today, we can’t just lose."
‘We have to drag this out as much as possible.’
Winning today would be ideal, but the chances were slim.
Instead, the goal was to make it so Park Si-woo couldn’t pitch later, or at least to affect the next game.
At the same time, preserve the Wolves’ strength as much as possible while heading to Busan.
That was Coach Lee Jeong-hwan’s plan.
The knuckleball variable, and how long fifth starter Yoon Min-ho could hold out, remained uncertain.
For now, they just had to focus forward.
The same went for Song Min-seok.
Today, his role was bigger than anyone else’s.
He had to manage the Wolves’ lineup as efficiently and perfectly as possible using only the knuckleball.
However, Song Min-seok had let go of much of the knuckleball pressure since the second half began.
Being able to throw other pitches meant the knuckleball, which could be mishandled, was now used mainly to set the count.
His ability to catch the knuckleball remained, but the environment had changed, so mistakes were possible.
"Strike!"
Yet Song Min-seok enjoyed catching the knuckleball.
‘Feels good, brings back memories.’
Fastballs over 160 km/h or splitters that could drop anywhere were fine, but the most thrilling moment as a catcher was when…
"Strikeout!"
The batter just watched the slow knuckleball and ended up striking out, completely stunned.
Even more so on the Korean Series stage.
"Ah, Si-woo! That pitch is perfect today! Let’s keep it this way!"
Song Min-seok shouted loudly enough for everyone to hear, returning the ball to Park Si-woo.
‘He’s saying that for us, right?’
‘That crazy guy.’
Still, even with that anger, the outcome didn’t change much.
"Out!"
After finishing the inning, Park Si-woo left the mound and approached Coach Gwak Gu-beom.
"I’ll stop here."
As they had discussed before the game.
"Are you okay with that?"
He asked only because the flow of the game was so good.
"Yes. I’m fine."
"Good. You did well."
Score: 6 to 0.
Seven innings, one hit, one walk, no runs, 81 pitches.
That was the end of Park Si-woo’s outing.
With him gone, the Wolves gritted their teeth and focused on the remaining two innings.
The game wasn’t over.
Six points were tough, but without Park Si-woo, they could manage.
Coach Gwak didn’t pull Park Si-woo without thought.
Choi Seung-ho, Oh Kyung-su, Park Hyun-woo, Park Jung-won.
He deployed all the pitchers considered surefire closers in this Korean Series to flawlessly stop the two innings.
They left no room for hope, thorough and absolute.
Meanwhile, the batters added more runs, bringing the score to a 9 to 0 landslide.
After winning the first game and then losing two in a row, the Marines had finally secured three wins.
Only two games remained.
"If only Si-woo weren’t there, we’d do even better. Let’s give everything in Game 6."
"We have to finish before Game 7. Right?"
Both teams had the same goal.
They had to take Game 6 at all costs.
And so, both teams headed to the final battlefield in Busan.
"Ha, winning has to happen in Busan, right?"
It’s all about perspective, and the players agreed with senior Kim Min-ki.
The atmosphere was excellent.
Could it get any better than this?
Their goal was to end the series in Game 6.
The starters for Game 6: Conner Gray versus Gale.
Strictly comparing starters, Conner Gray had the edge.
He had six days of rest and plenty of big-game experience.
Still, hopeful was that Gale had prepared his best despite the previous defeat.
"Si-woo, can you lend me some energy here?"
"Energy?"
How do foreigners even know about this?
Most of the time, it’s Song Min-seok they’re thinking of.
"Min-seok said you have a special energy."
Of course.
I caught the ball for Gale, pretending to give him something.
I didn’t truly believe I had any special energy.
"Thanks. I’ll make sure we win today."
It was just to help nervous Gale.
Naturally, I wouldn’t pitch today.
If I do, it would be tomorrow.
I had controlled my pitch count in Game 5 for that purpose.
I wouldn’t start, but I’d be ready to go anytime.
Regardless, I sincerely hoped we’d win today.
If it went to tomorrow, I’d be too tense.
"Are you okay?"
"No, it’s tough."
After parting with Gale, I went to meet Oliver.
I left today’s game to Gale and prepared for tomorrow.
Honestly, my body didn’t feel light.
It had only been two days since pitching, and throwing 80 knuckleballs was taxing.
I’d thrown a lot this season.
"But there’s no problem with the shoulder or elbow. Just tired."
"That’s a relief."
Fortunately, the body was fine.
I worked on recovery with Oliver until the game started.
At the dugout, senior Lee Dong-hoon greeted me.
"Why didn’t you stay a bit longer?"
"But we have to watch the game."
"Are you pitching tomorrow too?"
"I might go out today."
Except for me and Danny, who would pitch tomorrow, all pitchers were on standby.
The best case: Gale stretches the innings as much as possible.
"Strikeout!"
As expected, Gale held the line until the fourth inning, allowing only one hit in the first.
Snap!
"Damn, that was close."
But in the top of the fifth, with two outs and runners on third, the ball brushed the edge of senior Cha Jae-hoon’s glove, giving the Wolves the first run.
Wolves starter Conner Gray allowed no runs through the fifth inning.
Gale pitched through the sixth.
"...Ha."
"You did well."
"No, I should have thrown even more perfectly..."
Six innings, one run, but Gale couldn’t take his eyes off the mound in regret.
Understandable; it was his final outing today.
Following Gale, senior Oh Kyung-su took the mound.
Snap!
"Out!"
"That guy’s perfect for the bullpen."
"Exactly."
He held the seventh scoreless, pitched into the eighth, and got two outs before leaving.
Senior Park Hyun-woo took over, also scoreless.
Meanwhile, the Wolves’ pitching remained unchanged.
Even if Conner Gray allowed runners, he shut down runs completely.
Still, the eighth inning faced top-order batters.
"Seo-jun! Just get on base!"
They could catch up.
Snap!
"Nice!"
Lead-off batter senior Hwang Seo-jun reached base, no outs, runner on first.
Then senior Cha Jae-hoon, who had the best feel in the series, stepped up.
Coach Lee Jeong-hwan visited the mound, but no pitcher change.
First pitch.
Snap!
A perfectly hit ball.
But too perfectly.
Double play.
No one could blame senior Cha Jae-hoon.
Just bad luck.
As the momentum seemed about to swing to the Wolves…
Snap!
"Damn it! Seo-jina!"
The play turned, senior Ha Seo-jin returned to the dugout, goosebumps all over.
"...Ha. Thank you so much."
Senior Cha Jae-hoon hugged Ha Seo-jin while choking up.
Now the score was tied.
That was the end for Conner Gray too.
Neither team could spare any pitchers now.
Both sides poured everything in, ignoring tomorrow.
From the eighth inning into the ninth, then extra innings.
Our first extra innings pitcher: senior Park Jung-won.
He threw two innings, deleting the game up to the eleventh.
"...Ha. So nerve-wracking."
Now it was just one point.
One point, and we could win.
But the opponent had also given everything.
"Strikeout!"
Twelfth, thirteenth innings.
Two pitchers per inning was basic.
Both sides had used nearly all available pitchers.
Watching helplessly was agonizing.
Maybe one inning at a time would be enough.
I tried going to the coach to say that, but senior Lee Dong-hoon stopped me.
"Sit down."
"Senior."
"Losing today doesn’t mean it’s over. Stay put."
Senior Lee headed to warm up in the bullpen.
Two days’ rest, then pitching.
Snap!
"Out!"
"Lee Dong-hoon! Lee Dong-hoon!"
Thanks to Lee Dong-hoon’s pitching, the 14th inning was scoreless.
Only two chances left for our offense.
We had used pinch hitters, pinch runners, everything.
All we could do now was pray.
Snap!
"Ah…"
But still, no runs.
"Please, please."
A tie wasn’t an option.
We had to win.
But fortune wasn’t on our side.
Lee Dong-hoon got two outs, then allowed a runner on due to an error.
The first mistake in the game.
And it hurt badly.
Snap!
The ball flew high.
15th inning, balance broken.
Score: 3 to 1.
Despair was brief; the game wasn’t over.
Just as we had given everything, so had the opponent.
Two points were still catchable.
"Strikeout!"
"...Ha. Should’ve just listened to you. Sorry."
The top of the 15th ended with senior Lee Dong-hoon’s regret.
Bottom of the 15th.
We couldn’t score.
The winner of Game 6: the Wolves.
It was a painful loss because everything had been poured out.
But the opportunity wasn’t gone.
Game 7 remained.
"...Are you really okay?"
"Yes. I’m fine."
I didn’t want to regret anything after coming this far.
"I’ll pitch tomorrow."