'3⅓ innings, 62 pitches': Hanwha's Lee Min-woo's 1,436-day effort dimmed by blown leads

*This content was translated by AI.

The five-hour-and-five-minute defeat weighed heavily on Hanwha Eagles, largely due to the presence of Lee Min-woo (33), who had shouldered the mound until the very end.

On Aug. 8, Hanwha fell to LG Twins 8-9 in a regular-season home game at Daejeon Hanwha Life Eagles Park. The loss pushed Hanwha to its second 20th defeat of the season (14 wins), dropping the team to eighth place in the league standings.

This was the longest game of the year. A total of 17 pitchers appeared for both teams, recording 32 hits and 12 walks or hit-by-pitches. Unlike LG, which had only one pitcher throw fewer than two innings after the starter, Hanwha relied on a single pitcher from the top of the eighth inning with two outs and runners on second and third until the game ended.

Lee Min-woo quietly did his absolute best in his role. Although he allowed a two-run single to Cheon Seong-ho, he got Austin Dean to ground out on just two pitches, preventing a large run deficit. In the ninth inning, he received defensive support and finished the frame with only 12 pitches, keeping the scoreless and setting the stage for a potential comeback.

Scoring proved difficult. Even with the Monster Wall clearly visible, two pitchers were warming up in the bullpen, yet Lee Min-woo kept returning to the mound. He threw 23 pitches in the top of the 10th extra inning, retiring four batters in a row. However, in the top of the 11th inning with two outs and runners on second and third, he allowed a single to Park Hae-min on the left side, giving up his first earned run. Hanwha failed to turn the game around, and Lee Min-woo became the losing pitcher for the first time in two years.

Lee Min-woo's line for the day was 3⅓ innings (62 pitches), five hits allowed, one hit-by-pitch, one strikeout, and one run allowed. It had been 1,436 days since Lee Min-woo threw more than 60 pitches, dating back to his last start on June 3, 2022, against Daejeon Kiwoom Heroes, where he pitched 3⅔ innings, allowed two runs, and threw 77 pitches.

Last year, despite strong Futures League performance, Lee Min-woo strangely received no opportunities in the first division. He quietly waited in the Futures League with 34 games, three wins, two losses, six holds, three saves, a 3.00 ERA, and 31 strikeouts in 36 innings, but he never appeared in a first-division game.

The situation was similar this year. He was not included in the opening day first-division roster. However, as the first-division bullpen continued to struggle, Lee Min-woo, who had pitched three consecutive scoreless outings in the Futures League, was called up.

On the long-awaited first-division stage, Lee Min-woo did not shy away from tough assignments. He willingly took on back-to-back multi-inning appearances. Over 11 games, he compiled a 2.57 ERA, a record comparable to any team's reliable relievers.

Yet, that dedication has not translated into team victories. Today was no different. Hanwha had multiple chances to win, but several blown leads cost them hard-fought victories. The most painful moment came with the score tied 8-8 in the bottom of the ninth inning with one out and runners on second and third.

Lee Won-seok hit a ball that LG right fielder Hong Chang-gi attempted to catch with a sliding play. At that moment, third baseman Ha Ju-sek hesitated and ultimately failed to score. Given that it took some time to field the ball and get up, there was regret that he might have retouched the third base bag earlier.

Hong Chang-gi's perfect follow-up play made Ha Ju-seok's hesitation even more glaring. Despite the difficult catch, Hong immediately threw accurately to home plate, preventing additional runs. On the broadcast during Hanwha's offensive inning, a tired Lee Min-woo could be seen in the dugout. Among the fans' reactions expressing regret over certain plays, there was also sympathy for Lee Min-woo, who, despite his all-out effort, remained the losing pitcher.

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*This content was translated by AI.