The high fastball goal worked… The dignity of a 41-year-old veteran

SSG Landers veteran Kim Kang-min (41) hit the target. In this close lead situation, he hit a valuable home run that drove a wedge. The number of goals was right. 

SSG won 5-3 in an away game against the KIA Tigers held at Kia Champions Field in Gwangju on the 10th. 

SSG failed스포츠토토 to score in the top of the 7th inning, leading 4-3, with one out and base loaded. Then, at the end of the 7th inning, due to an error by the second baseman, the second baseman was in danger of reversing with the base loaded. However, Noh Kyung-eun dealt with KIA Kim Sun-bin and passed it without a run. 

While Guillermo Heredia, who scored the first place in the final, missed two days in a row due to palm pain, Kang-Min Kim came out as a solution to SSG. 

In the 8th inning, leading 4-3, with no runners, he pulled a fastball with a speed of 145 km/h from KIA right-hander bullpen Jang Hyun-sik. It was a big hit that made you feel a home run the moment it hit. A solo home run with a distance of 110m over the fence. It is the second home run of the season, 4 games and 20 days after the KT Wiz match on April 20. He said, “I feel good. The team’s performance was not good today, so if I lost, I thought it would lead to a losing streak. I’m glad I won.” 

Kim Kang-min went in after Jang Hyun-sik’s high fastball. He said, “Looking at Jang Hyun-sik’s power analysis data, the high fastball usage rate was high. I talked with hitting coach Lee Jin-young, saying, ‘Let’s hit a high ball.’ I focused on the course,” he said. “It wasn’t a normal swing. I didn’t know it would be a home run. 

Kim Kang-min is the best veteran on the team along with Choo Shin-soo.

Compared to his heyday, his playing time has decreased significantly, but he is still very active. He was also selected as the Korean Series Most Valuable Player (MVP) last year.

Having recently been in the second group due to back pain, he started the day before (9th) and recorded 1 hit in 4 at-bats. On the 10th, he played as a substitute and recorded 2 hits and 1 RBI in 2 at-bats. Kim Kang-min’s batting average for the season rose to 0.370 (10 hits in 27 at-bats). 

In a situation where starting center fielder Choi Ji-hoon and number 4 Guillermo Heredia were missing,he showed the dignity of a veteran properly.