*This content was translated by AI.
Lotte Giants pitcher Hyun Do-hoon finally tasted the thrill of his first professional debut win. It is a precious achievement accomplished after a full 9 years since he first stepped onto the professional stage as a development player in 2018.
On the 28th, in a game against the Kiwoom Heroes at Sajik Stadium, Hyun Do-hoon entered as a relief pitcher and perfectly shut down the opponent for 2 scoreless innings, leading his team to a 5-4 victory and becoming the first winning pitcher in his professional debut.
With the score tied 2-2, Hyun Do-hoon entered in the bottom of the 6th inning, and his team scored 3 runs in the top of the 6th, creating the conditions for a win. Although he allowed 2 runs in the 9th inning and faced a chase, he did not give up the lead to Kiwoom. This was Hyun Do-hoon's first win in 20 games in the first division. If counted from his debut with the Doosan Bears in 2018, it has been 8 years.
Immediately after the game ended, Hyun Do-hoon received enthusiastic congratulations from his teammates. After being drenched with water, he faced the press for an interview, unable to hide his excited expression. When asked about his thoughts on the victory, he shared, "It feels like I've come a long way, but by my standards, it also feels like it came quickly."
Hyun Do-hoon's baseball career was never smooth, from leaving for studies in Japan during high school, to joining an independent league team, and being released twice by Doosan. When Hyun Do-hoon donned the Lotte uniform in 2023, the first person he thought of immediately after his first win was unhesitatingly his 'wife'.
When asked by StarNews to name the first person who came to mind in this emotional moment, Hyun Do-hoon said, "It's my wife. Thanks to her, I was able to endure the hard times, and she supported and cheered for me from behind so I could play the baseball I love. I want to tell her how grateful and how much I love her," showing off his loving side.
Hyun Do-hoon, who reconnected with manager Kim Tae-hyung, whom he had met during his Doosan days, while at Lotte, was happy to often hear the praise "nice pitching" from the manager recently. Recalling the period last season when he did not appear in the first division even once, Hyun Do-hoon stated, "It was quite hard. Still, I didn't think about anything else and just worked hard. Of course, I worked hard in training, and it helped that I did a lot of 'mental study' externally."
He added, "I think I also prepared diligently during the off-season. It feels like the plans I made and the things I did are coming true one by one. I think it's good that I had positive thoughts and things seem to be going well."
Hyun Do-hoon has continued a scoreless streak for 5 consecutive games, including the match on the 28th. On this day, his fastball reached a top speed of 146 km/h against Kiwoom batters. Although he is a relief pitcher, he mixes his fastball with cutters, forks, and sweepers, allowing no hits and only one walk.
Finally, Hyun Do-hoon said, "Rather than being greedy, I tried to understand the catchers' signs well and pitch as intended. Our team's catchers study very hard," and pledged to steadily fulfill his role in the future.
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*This content was translated by AI.
