LG Twins outfielder Oh Ji-hwan (34) hit a grand slam to secure the team's resurgence.
Oh got his first taste of the big leagues on Sunday, batting sixth and playing shortstop against SSG Landers in the 2024 Shinhan Sol Bank KBO League at Jamsil Stadium.
After batting second with the bases loaded in the top of the third inning with his team leading 3-0, he took two pitches from opposing starter Kim Kwang-hyun. He then hit a three-pitch outside slider for a grand slam over the right-field fence.
It was his third home run of the season and fourth career grand slam, coming 66 days after his last one on May 12 against the Lotte Giants.
LG, which jumped out to an early lead thanks to Oh's grand slam, defeated SSG 12-9 to extend its winning streak to three games. Oh went 2-for-5 with two home runs and five RBIs.
In a postgame interview, Oh shared his feelings. “Right after I was promoted to the first team, I actually felt that my brothers were struggling a lot and that I was being pressured, so I wanted to be more aggressive and talked to them about being brighter,” he confessed. ”I think that led to the result. It's good to keep the streak going,” he smiled brightly.
As for the home run situation, he said, “I tried to be aggressive. Pitchers are trying to get strikes in two or three pitches, so I tried to be more aggressive, and the timing of the fastball was right,” he explained. “I wanted to get an outfield fly or something, and it worked out well,” he added.
His performance was especially significant as it marked a resurgence after a first half plagued by slumps and injuries.
Oh was sidelined on May 30 with a right wrist injury. He injured his left hamstring while preparing to return, and was only able to return to the first team on May 11th.
After batting just .238 with two home runs, 16 RBIs, 31 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases in 54 games before the injury, he appears to have overcome his slump with his return to health.
After his return, he was batting .353 (6-for-17) with four RBIs before this game. He also hit a grand slam to signal his return.
Recalling the moment he suffered the hamstring injury during his rehabilitation, Oh said, “It was during fielding practice. If there had been any premonitory symptoms, I probably 파워볼사이트 wouldn't have done it, but I was in good shape that day, and I was getting ready to go up, and I felt the pain for the first time,” he sighs.
As much as he wanted to give his team a boost, he also felt frustrated that his body wasn't cooperating.
“I had an MRI and they said I had a torn hamstring. “It was really hard, you can't stitch yourself up, and I could see my teammates struggling,” he recalls, ‘so I had a lot of phone calls with the first team,’ he says.
Due to the depth of his pre-injury slump, Soo-hoon was rarely given the opportunity to speak on the sidelines after home wins, but he did meet and greet fans after the victory.
“I don't think I've done any interviews this season, and I don't think I've had a game where I was that influential,” said Oh, who pointed out, ”I have to recognize my skill, and I think there were a lot of factors that made it difficult. I even put it down to relax in the middle of the game, but it was hard to get it all together.”
His unwanted stint in the Futures (second division) league has given him new motivation.
“I had to go down because of injuries, but it gave me a sense of purpose to get back up to the first team. Watching the players playing in the first team also gave me a fighting spirit,” he said.
After winning the championship last year for the first time in 29 years, LG started the year aiming for the top.
They have been competing at the top of the standings, but the gap has widened recently and they are now in third place (49 wins, 2 draws, 42 losses), 5.5 games behind first-place KIA Tigers (53 wins, 2 draws, 35 losses).
Oh is still determined to win the title. “You never know what the atmosphere will be like. We have a lot of resources,” he said. ”I see a lot of hope. The goal is the same (to win the championship),” he said encouragingly.