The Samsung Lions are gearing up for their postseason playoff clash against the Hanwha Eagles, scheduled to take place on the 17th at Hanwha Life Ball Park in Daejeon. The Lions advanced to this stage after finishing the regular season in fourth place and overcoming the NC Dinos in the wild card game. Following that, they faced the SSG Landers in the semi-playoff, successfully securing their spot in the playoffs for the second consecutive year with a hard-fought series that went to four games.
Going into Game 1, the Hanwha Eagles are set to start Cody Ponce, who has been nothing short of exceptional this season. With an impressive record of 17-1 and a 1.89 ERA across 29 appearances, Ponce excelled in his debut KBO League season, winning an unprecedented 17 consecutive opening games. He also established a new record for the most strikeouts in KBO history, accumulating 252 strikeouts.
Ponce’s previous encounter with Samsung illustrates his effectiveness against them; he recorded a dominant performance with no runs in six innings, allowing only six hits and one walk while striking out eight batters. This statistical prowess raises the stakes for Samsung as they approach this crucial playoff game. Historical data suggests that teams winning the first round have a 76.5% chance of advancing to the Korean Series, making Ponce a focal point in Samsung’s strategy.
Coach Park Jin-man of the Samsung Lions acknowledged the challenge presented by Ponce, emphasizing the need for his team to be aggressive at the plate. He noted, “The pitch is so good and there are so many pitches. If the count is unfavorable, the batter is not good, so I think I should hit it actively.” Park also expressed optimism about Ponce’s readiness for the postseason, hoping that the formidable atmosphere will shake him as it will be his first playoff game.
Samsung’s familiarity with Ponce from their prior encounter provides a glimmer of hope. Coach Park suggested that this shared experience could benefit the hitters as they prepare to face the KBO’s best pitcher. Their starting lineup features key players such as Kim Ji-chan, Kim Sung-yoon, and Lewin Diaz, with Kherson Garavito taking the mound for the Lions.
As Samsung strives to conquer the formidable challenge that lies ahead, the excitement surrounding this matchup underscores the thrilling nature of playoff baseball, promising an intense battle between two determined teams.