Starting pitchers engage in memorable duel in Korean Series

By Yoo Jee-ho

SUWON, South Korea, Nov. 4 (Yonhap) -- One is a wily veteran with an unorthodox delivery, and the other is a former major leaguer with a power arm. On Wednesday, KT Wiz starter Ko Young-pyo and his Samsung Lions counterpart Chris Paddack found themselves locked in a pitching duel in the South Korean baseball championship series.

They both threw seven innings of one-run ball in Game 2 of the Korean Series at KT Wiz Park in Suwon, some 30 kilometers south of Seoul, with the Lions prevailing 3-2 in 12 innings.

Ko scattered seven hits and struck out four without walking anyone. Paddack gave up eight hits and a walk while striking out three.

Ko blinked first early, giving up a double to Choi Hyoung-woo and a triple to Lewin Diaz in the top of the second inning for the Lions' first run. But he settled down to hold the Lions to just two more hits over the next three innings, while getting a few softly hit groundouts.

Ko gave the Wiz 96 quality pitches -- 51 two-seam fastballs, 29 changeups and 16 sweepers.

Paddack also did plenty of escaping act. He allowed at least a baserunner in all seven innings he pitched, but somehow limited the damage just to one run.

A double and a walk amounted to nothing for the Wiz in the bottom first. With two outs in the second, Paddack dropped a routine pop fly to extend the inning but struck out Jang Jun-won to clean up his own mess.

Paddack's only blemish came in the fourth inning but even then, the game-tying single by Heo Kyoung-min was a blooper to shallow left.

The Wiz put two men in scoring position in the sixth after a single and a double, but Paddack induced two soft groundouts that kept the game tied at 1-1.

Three more groundouts followed in the seventh for Paddack, who finished with 102 pitches -- this, after throwing 99 pitches on three days' rest. Paddack offered 37 two-seam fastballs, 24 changeups, 22 cutters, 14 curveballs and five four-seam fastballs.

The game remained tied when both pitchers handed the reins over to the bullpen, and the two aces that did not give an inch settled for no-decisions.

Paddack got the last laugh, though, with his Lions winning the game and evening up the series at one game apiece.

jeeho@yna.co.kr
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