"There is no player greater than the team": Despite being hit by a headshot, he stole a base and changed the momentum with two decisive hits... Can Park Seung-gyu become the "crazy player" who saves Samsung? [PO3]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

"There is no player greater than the team."

This was said by Park Seung-gyu (26, Samsung Lions), who had been on the verge of completing a cycle in a game against the NC Dinos on April 10 but stopped at second base instead of running to third, drawing gasps from his teammates.

Park is also dedicating himself to his team in the postseason, putting this message into practice with his own body. In the fall, Park is lifting the atmosphere as Samsung's "crazy player."

In two games of the Playoffs (PO) against the KIA Tigers, Park has been active with a .400 batting average (2 hits in 5 at-bats), 2 runs batted in, 3 runs scored, 1 walk, 1 hit by pitch, and 1 stolen base.

Park joined Samsung as a second-round pick in the ninth round of the 2019 draft. He served in the Military Sports Agency (Sangmu) and returned last year to put up solid performances. Park, who posted a .286 batting average in the first half of this season, struggled with a .220 average in the second half. However, he held down an outfield spot for Samsung while Koo Ja-wook was out due to injury.

Park, who started as the No. 5 hitter and left fielder on the first day, was hit in the head by a fast pitch from James Nail in the fifth inning. As a result, Nail was removed early, and Park, who had briefly collapsed, got up and walked to first base before successfully stealing a base, proving he was physically fine. He then scored on Kim Young-woong's single down the left-field line, becoming the sole scorer of the day.

In Game 2, Samsung started Park as the No. 2 hitter and right fielder. Samsung Manager Park Jin-man said, "The flow was broken a lot in the second spot yesterday, and looking at his condition, I thought Seung-gyu would be (better than Kim Sung-yoon)."

KIA Manager Lee Beom-ho also said, "I assumed (Choi) Hyeong-woo would definitely start today, but I wondered if Park Seung-gyu might come up since he is in good condition."

In the bottom of the third inning, while the team was trailing 0-1, Ryu Ji-hyuk reached base on a walk and advanced to second on Lee Jae-hyun's sacrifice bunt. However, Kim Ji-chan popped out to the shortstop, leaving a sense of regret.

However, Park changed the atmosphere. He attacked Adam Oler's inside slider, and the ball traveled down the left-field line for a tying double. He produced a sharp hit by pulling his front foot out while hitting a difficult inside pitch. Fans filling Samsung Lions Park went wild, and Park, who settled into second base, roared loudly to lift the mood.

After that, Samsung's momentum fully revived. Koo Ja-wook sent a ball toward center-right field, and Park scored from home. Lewin Diaz's two-run home run allowed them to take an early lead.

In the fifth inning as well, he showed concentration with two outs. Facing the batter's box in a situation with no runners on base after Lee Jae-hyun and Kim Ji-chan grounded out, Park hit a ground ball to a precise spot for an infield hit to reach base.

It was a surprising result produced with two outs. Eventually, Oler was removed from the game, and Lee Yi-ri, who pitched afterward, suffered severe control issues, allowing Park to score again via a bases-loaded walk.

In the sixth inning, with one out and runners on second and third, Park hit an outside pitch from Sung Young-tak to the warning track for a large fly ball that was caught, bringing in runner Lee Jae-hyun from third base.

After the game, Manager Park Jin-man praised him, saying, "When we were trailing, the flow was broken by Kim Ji-chan's pop-out, and it was a situation where we could have been dragged down. But Seung-gyu's hit broke through what had been stuck, and it seems things went smoothly from then on. His role at that point was huge." He added, "It seems the momentum came because Park Seung-gyu hit an important tying hit."

Even after being hit in the head, he got up quickly to steal a base and score a run. In the game held the next day, he became a game-changer who changed the flow of the game, bringing victory to the team.

The phrase "There is no player greater than the team" is written on Samsung's home dugout. Park continues to spare no effort for his team. Koo Ja-wook is struggling as a designated hitter despite an uncomfortable leg, and Choi Hyeong-woo, who is breaking the oldest record, is enduring starting in left field, which was rare even during the regular season. The impact Park has had is spreading positively among Samsung players.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original