Doosan's 'Super Catch' Park Chi-guk: "I Was Thinking of a Squeeze Bunt" [Jamsil On-site]

*This content was translated by AI.

"I was thinking of a squeeze bunt."

Doosan pitcher Park Chi-guk (28) shared his thoughts after securing the team's victory with a 'super catch'.

After the match against Hanwha Eagles held at Seoul Jamsil Stadium on the 4th, which Doosan won 3-1, Park told the club through an official statement: "I came in during a tight situation, so I thought the most important thing was not to let any runners advance and to avoid giving up big hits. I only thought that we must stop them at all costs for the team to win."

In the bottom of the 6th inning with the score 2-0 in Doosan's favor and two outs with runners on second and third, he appeared as the team's third pitcher. He struck out the first batter, Heo In-seo, and finished the inning without allowing any runs.

In the bottom of the 7th, he allowed a run after Kim Tae-yeon hit a single to left field and Lee Do-yoon hit a double to the right-field line. He then gave up a hit to the center field to Hwang Young-mok. After striking out Lee Won-seok, there was one out with runners on first and third. The next batter, Oh Jae-won, attempted a squeeze bunt on the first pitch. Park Chi-guk dove to catch the low-flying ball that rose toward the pitcher's mound. He then threw to third base, forcing out the runner Lee Do-yoon, who had already reached home plate. It was a spectacular defensive play that saved the team from a life-or-death crisis.

Regarding the situation at the time, Park said, "I did allow a hit in the 7th, but I thought the batter hit it well. It was a hit down the line, and I felt it was just bad luck. I didn't worry about it at all." He added, "I was somewhat aware of the possibility of a squeeze bunt when Oh Jae-won came to the plate. It's a difficult hit to miss even when you're expecting it, and I think luck was on my side."

After escaping the tying-scoring crisis, Doosan immediately capitalized in the top of the 7th. Park Ji-hoon and Oh Myung-jin hit consecutive singles, and when Jung Soobin bunted, the opposing pitcher Jo Dong-wook committed a fielding error, creating a bases-loaded opportunity. With one out, Son Ah-seop hit a ground ball to the second base, scoring one run and extending the lead to 3-1. In the top of the 9th, Lee Yong-chan struck out three batters over one inning to secure the save. This was his first save since July 25, 2024, during a match against Gwangju KIA while he was with NC, marking 679 days since then. For Doosan, it was his first save in 3,187 days since September 12, 2017, against NC in Masan.

Park Chi-guk said, "I stood on the mound in a crucial moment, and I'm glad I performed well enough to contribute to the victory, even a little. I will work harder so that you can trust me in my next appearance."

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*This content was translated by AI.