*This content was translated by AI.
'Gwangju Ilgo's Ohtani' Kim Sung-jun (19, ACL Rangers) has brought his ERA within reach of the single-digit range with two consecutive scoreless outings.
On the 22nd (Korea time), Kim made a start in the regular-season ACL game between the ACL Guardians and visiting team at Goodie Ballpark Complex in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. He pitched 2 innings, allowing 1 hit, no walks, and recording 2 strikeouts without surrendering any runs, leading the ACL Rangers to a 1-0 victory.
This marks his second consecutive scoreless outing. Kim appears as a pitcher once a week, plays shortstop twice a week, and serves as a designated hitter on the day before and after each pitching appearance. After recording a scoreless 2-inning performance in the previous ACL Giants game, he lowered his season ERA from 1.35 to 1.04 with this two-game consecutive scoreless effort.
In the bottom of the first inning, Kim induced an infield grounder from Angel Abreu. He retired Ricardo Romero with a fly ball to left field and Johan Rodriguez with a ground ball to shortstop, completing the inning with three straight outs.
His ability to escape high-leverage situations also shone. In the bottom of the second, he allowed his first hit to leadoff batter Pedro Dalmagro. After striking out Gustavo Batista looking, a wild pitch put runners on base with one out and a runner on second. However, he retired Rodney Rosario with a swinging strikeout and got Winder Torres to ground out to shortstop, ending the inning.
Later, the ACL Rangers secured the win by holding onto their 1-0 lead until the end after Braulio Cabello's RBI single to left field in the bottom of the seventh with two outs and runners on second base.
During his time at Gwangju Ilgo High School, Kim attracted MLB attention for his exceptional physical attributes and athletic sense, playing both as a pitcher and hitter since his freshman year. In his sophomore year, he won the Baseball Star Award at the 2024 Futures Star Awards ceremony, and last May, during his junior year, he signed a contract with Texas worth $1.2 million (approximately 18 billion won).
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*This content was translated by AI.
