"Waiting for the day of return," Lee Jae-hak's strong comeback... '7-game winning streak NC' 5th-place Doosan closes in by 3.5 games, but the situations differ

*This content was translated by AI.

The veteran ace returned at the moment the team needed him most, delivering a perfect performance in his comeback game after 704 days. NC Dinos is once again stoking the spark of an autumn miracle.

On the 5th, NC secured a 2-1 victory over Kiwoom Heroes in a visiting game at Seoul Gocheok Sky Dome during the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League, thanks to Lee Jae-hak's (36) excellent four-inning performance allowing just one run.

NC, riding a seven-game winning streak, now holds a record of 55 wins, 58 losses, and 2 ties. The gap with fifth-place Doosan, which has fallen into a five-game losing streak, has narrowed to 3.5 games. With only 29 games remaining, considering the Asian Games variable and recent momentum, a comeback is certainly possible.

Lee Jae-hak's performance was dazzling. As an original NC member who threw the franchise's first win on April 11, 2013, he was a symbolic pitcher who contributed 85 wins to the team. After undergoing right elbow ligament reconstruction surgery in April last year, he endured a long rehabilitation period of one year and five months before returning to the mound for the first time since the Lotte game on October 1, 2024 — 704 days later.

He returned when the team needed him most and delivered pitching that exceeded expectations. He allowed a walk to the leadoff batter Seo Geon-chang in the first inning but managed to get out of the jam by striking out Chu Jae-hyun with a 141 km/h fastball inside, while also preventing a stolen base attempt. Matt Davidson was retired via a grounder to the second baseman thanks to his signature changeup.

Lee Jae-hak retired all three batters in the second inning with two strikeouts. He started the third inning with a walk but induced a double play and retired the side again within three batters.

In the fourth, the leadoff walk proved problematic again. With one out and a runner on first, he allowed a hit to Davidson, then traded an out and a run for a fly ball to left field by Keston Hiura. Nevertheless, he closed out the inning by striking out the final batter, Kim Woong-bin, with a changeup after nine pitches.

As it was his first start, he did not push himself too hard. Once he reached 75 pitches, he handed over to Bae Jae-hwan. Thanks to NC scoring two runs in the second inning, Bae Jae-hwan, who pitched only one inning, earned the win, though it was largely Lee Jae-hak's victory.

In a one-run lead situation, relief pitching also shone brightly. Starting with Bae Jae-hwan, Kim Jin-ho (⅓ inning), Shin Young-woo (⅔ inning), Son Ju-hwan, and Lee Yong-jun (both 1 inning) all pitched scoreless innings to record holds, while Jeon Sa-min (1 inning) secured his ninth save of the season (6 wins, 6 losses, 5 holds). In particular, Shin Young-woo's performance stood out as he entered with one out and runners on second and third in the sixth inning and escaped the crisis with two strikeouts.

After the game, NC manager Lee Ho-jun said, "Starting pitcher Lee Jae-hak showed excellent pitching in his comeback game after injury. After waiting for a long time, I want to congratulate him for returning in good health."

Lee Jae-hak also shared his thoughts: "Before taking the mound, many emotions such as excitement and anxiety crossed my mind, but I prepared by doing image training to think positively. Thanks to the encouragement and support from my teammates, I was able to handle the comeback game smoothly."

This is almost like a reward for going through a difficult rehabilitation period. "It was a hard time while rehabilitating, but since it's already happened, I tried to think as positively as possible and waited only for the day of my return," he said. "During the rehabilitation period, I also saw young pitchers on the team focusing too much on results. In the first post-comeback performance analysis meeting, I told the young players that results are things that happen beyond our control, so they shouldn't worry too much and should focus only on their own play. I prepared for my comeback game with that same mindset."

He continued, "During rehabilitation, the training staff provided great help, and after my return, teammates treated me well and gave me many encouraging words. I am grateful to the coaching staff for creating an environment where I could pitch comfortably. My family also helped greatly by encouraging me to think positively whenever things got tough."

Fans who waited for him did not forget either. "Many fans waited for my return, so I'm glad we started well. I thank the fans who welcomed me back with great support and promise to prepare well to repay them with better pitching in the remaining season."

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*This content was translated by AI.