What makes for an epic ‘sucker punch’.
The Kiwoom Heroes are showing ‘crazy momentum’. In the final game of the three-game series against the Hanwha Eagles at the Gocheok Sky Dome on Sunday, Kiwoom won 4-3 in 11 innings to sweep the three-game series. Pajuk’s seventh straight win. Kiwoom, which had lost its opening four games in a row, is making waves in the standings with this tremendous momentum.
The hero of the day was Kim Hye-seong. After tying the game in the first inning, she hit a dramatic walk-off home run in the 11th inning. It was her first career game-winning home run, and it came at a crucial time for a multi-homer game.
But there was a new stealer. It was Song Sung-moon. Down 1-3 in the seventh inning, he hit a two-run shot to tie the game against Hanwha starter Kim Min-woo. The cheers were louder than when Kim Hye-sung hit the final out, which means it was a dramatic moment.
It was Song Sung-moon’s move that caught the eye as much as his home run. A bat flip, or “paddle. Song looked at his pitch and flipped his bat into the air the moment the home run was confirmed. It was so unexpected that Kim Jae-hyun, who was in the pinch-hitting spot, had to duck for cover.
‘Paddon’ is interesting. It’s fun for fans to watch, but if it’s done too much, it can be offensive to the opposing team. The ‘fastball’ often leads to controversy over empty balls. You could say that Song Sung-moon went a bit overboard, but the situation was so dramatic that Hanwha understood his expression of joy.
“Normally, when I hit a ball and I’m not sure if it’s a home run, it’s hard to throw the bat because I have to run fast. Even if you know it’s a home run as soon as you hit it, you still have to run to first base quickly because the opponent might be deceiving you.
That’s when some of the best ‘suckers’ come out, and Song Sung-moon was one of them. It’s when you know it’s going to go over, but you have to wait to see if it’s a foul or 토토 not. It’s time to enjoy a legitimate (?) hit. When you see a home run, you can’t help but feel your heart explode. The adrenaline rush is instantaneous.
There is a similar scene. On July 2, 2015, Hwang Jae-gyun was playing for the Lotte Giants. He was down 1-2 in the top of the ninth inning when NC Dinos’ Kim Jin-sung hit a ball to center field. It took him a while to decide whether it was a home run or a foul ball. Hwang Jae-gyun, who was watching the pitch with one hand, threw his bat in the air when it became a home run. The scene became a hot topic not only in Korea but also in the U.S. Major League Baseball.
