We've now begun our away trip to Ulsan.
It's our first away game.
Since it's the first away game,
I came with a new hairstyle I've never tried before.
This time in Ulsan, let's try
to play an unbelievably perfect game.
Though I don't think we'll see another perfect game.
Are you playing? Should the manager to send you in?
I met the manager and...
He said my haircut looks good.
- Really? - He really said that.
Maybe I should shave my head.
I'll go for a buzz cut.
Don’t do it, don’t do it.
Fine, just keep it short.
What about JAE YOUNG?
Still going, though?
I always get butterflies.
Why are you nervous if you're not playing?
I always keep the mindset that I might play.
We're now at the Yeongcheon rest stop in Gumi.
Today, KIM MOON HO
seemed a bit under-practiced.
He's preparing to take some swings here at the rest stop.
KIM MOON HO is amazing.
He's working this hard?
That's not the form the manager showed this morning.
LEE TAEK KEUN is here too.
Wow, these guys are incredible.
They’re already going wild on their first road trip.
Wow, what a great hit.
He's the best hitter among these three.
Swing like that...
Looks like a fly ball for sure.
Ulsan Munsu Baseball Stadium.
Hello.
Wow, KIM JAE HO, the heart of Doosan.
Huh?
Isn't KIM JAE HO the heart of Doosan?
- Huh? - Then what about YOO HEE KWAN? Is he the liver of Doosan?
So who's really the heart of Doosan?
You're Doosan’s liver, huh?
Hey, SANG WOO.
SANG WOO.
Hey, SANG WOO.
Hey, you.
Why are you behind these two?
I’ll do my best.
Do your best at what?
That song, you know.
Come rolling in like a stone.
Stop promoting that.
I roll, I’m rolling in.
Just roll all the way here.
I saw on Instagram you said you're greeting us as singer JEONG KEUN WOO.
No, roll here, don’t run, got it?
How? Like a stone.
Did someone order jajangmyeon?
Jajangmyeon! Jajangmyeon!
Only DAE EUN could pull that off.
Wow, that’s cool.
DAE EUN, don’t mess around while you still have hair.
That’s exactly when I should mess around.
Take care of it while you have it, don’t mess around.
Wait, why’d you do your eyebrows?
Gotta match the color.
Yeah, that’s right.
Ah, Ulsan is so far.
The heart of Doosan.
- Congrats on the retirement ceremony. - Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
A tearful retirement ceremony.
- Wow, now... - Congratulations.
Now you're truly one of us.
Yes.
JAE HO already had his retirement ceremony.
Yeah, it was just yesterday.
Even my shoes right now...
Why?
Yesterday...
I was grabbed straight from the venue.
I will always be by Doosan Bears’ side.
Sorry we’re greeting you only now.
You were so busy all day.
This was from the general manager...
He said congratulations.
Thank you.
See you tomorrow.
We have to go straight tomorrow.
I still need to take my laundry though.
You have laundry too?
Yeah.
Just load it all here and we’ll...
Oh really?
Am I really going alone?
Seriously, alone?
I thought it was weird from the start when you said you were coming.
Actually, the footage from the retirement ceremony...
We didn’t film any of it.
Right.
That’s why I kept asking.
What do we need to do?
Isn’t there anything to record? Anything to do?
You said “I’ve got it all handled.”
I was like, wait, what?
You need to snap out of it.
Get your head straight by tomorrow.
- Of course. - You have to go fight and win.
I’m already fully awake now.
See you tomorrow.
Everyone’s here except YONG TAIK?
I don’t think YONG TAIK has arrived yet.
He didn’t come?
Is this really everyone?
YONG TAIK isn’t here though.
YONG TAIK didn’t come.
He’s not here, right?
He must’ve called saying he’d be late.
Long time no see.
Nice to see you.
It’s been a while.
Well...
Before we begin the opening...
We have some shocking news to share.
What is it? An accident?
The captain
went to Busan Station.
This is seriously...
Really shocking.
He dozed off again.
He just fell asleep, that's it.
I think he went to Busan Station to take a dump.
To take a dump.
Now that we’re calling him out...
This is seriously the worst.
He just sent us a photo.
A selfie from Busan Station,
saying he's sorry.
He said he’s at Busan Station now.
He’s getting on another train from Busan
and heading back up to Ulsan.
So the opening news
was supposed to be about the captain’s last game.
Let’s delete that part.
Next...
In the last game, there were many injuries in the outfield.
JUNG EUI YOON, CHOI SOO HYUN,
and LEE TAEK KEUN.
How are all three doing?
I’m fine.
- You're okay. - Yes, I’m fine.
I’m fine too.
- You’re okay? - Yes.
I’ll recover quickly as well.
CHOI SOO HYUN can’t play right now.
Actually, because of all the injuries,
we held a mini tryout.
Huh?
Really?
We did it for both outfield and infield positions.
Five were selected to participate in the tryout.
Those who came to training probably saw it.
They all failed.
I thought they're getting in today.
I really thought they made it.
Man, I had high hopes.
Rejected?
And now.
For the 4th Blue Dragon Series Awards, in the Rookie Variety Star category,
Manager KIM SUNG KUN and JEONG KEUN WOO were nominated.
As final nominees,
JEONG KEUN WOO made it through.
Didn’t the manager just drop out?
The manager
- was eliminated. - Seriously?
Must’ve used connections.
I beat him?
Does that mean I win?
Yes, it’s JEONG KEUN WOO.
The Rookie Variety Star category
was the very first one introduced,
and I got eliminated immediately.
Thank you to all the fans who voted.
I’ll try harder next time
and return with a better performance.
Thank you.
I’ll get that Blue Dragon Award.
Roll.
I’m rolling forward.
Roll, roll, roll.
Even if my body breaks
and I turn into dust...
SEONG HOON doesn't wanna see him.
No, it’s just that the bag is nice.
Rolllllll.
That’s all for now.
That was rookie singer JEONG KEUN WOO.
It rolled in nicely.
The mood's picked up.
You really can’t miss JEONG KEUN WOO.
Oh, I’m sorry.
Sorry.
HEE KWAN, where are my clothes?
Here, here.
Why did the train doors close so fast?
How could the train doors close that fast?
They always close on time.
It usually takes 2 minutes longer.
Ah, man.
Where are you going?
Wait, should I change clothes or just go like this?
Don’t come back in once you go.
Wear your mic when you come.
Mic, okay.
I’ve been like this lately, it’s bad.
Not lately, you've always been like that.
No, I wasn’t like this before.
How did you end up booking for Busan Station?
What do you mean “booked Busan”?
I just missed getting off at Ulsan.
Yeah, you just went past it.
Exactly.
That’s really too much, seriously.
Now that the captain has arrived,
everyone is now present for today’s game.
Tell us about that bases-clearing triple.
I couldn’t say this earlier, but...
I just had a feeling I’d get a hit.
Yeah, I thought I’d hit it.
As soon as I hit it, and it split left-center and right-center...
You know that instinct to just take off the moment you hit it.
It’d been a while since I felt that.
I ran hard all the way to third.
Alright.
So far, the Fighters have played eight games
and we’re 8 wins, 0 losses.
Now comes the Fighters’ hottest enemy yet,
we have to fight the summer.
Today’s opponent is Daegu High.
Let’s break down Daegu High’s team.
Let’s begin.
Since the 2000s, in major high school tournaments like
the Presidential Cup, Bonghwang Flag, and Blue Dragon Cup,
they’ve won a total of 8 championships.
Was BAE CHAN SEUNG from Daegu High?
Wasn’t it Gyeongbuk High?
It was Daegu High.
Each school has its own style.
And if you look at their style,
Daegu High School stands out for
producing really strong pitchers.
Today’s starting pitcher is
KIM MIN JUN.
He’s projected to go in the 1st round of the draft.
Since his first year,
he’s been throwing mid-140 km/h fastballs.
He’s known for his power pitching.
He’s excellent at game management, pickoffs, PFP, and bunt defense.
Overall, he’s a well-rounded pitcher.
That’s about it and the other day, while I was heading down...
I came with KEUN WOO and MOON HO yesterday.
MOON HO's been saying lately
that he doesn’t have much to do.
He said he wants to contribute to the team somehow.
So the rest of the scouting report
will be handled by KIM MOON HO.
TAEK KEUN, about KIM MIN JUN,
what pitches does he throw?
So,
according to the scouting report,
he uses three pitches, slider, splitter, and curve.
Scouts say that
his forkball, in terms of completeness
could work even in the pros.
Let’s watch him closely today.
We need to observe him carefully in the early innings.
So continuing on,
I’d say this.
Daegu High doesn’t use a lot of tactics.
They have an aggressive style.
They don’t steal many bases, but
if we watch out for batters 1 through 3, we’ll be fine.
They’ve done about 7~8 stolen bases though.
So we just need to be careful with that.
The batter to watch out for is
BAE DA SEUNG.
He’s batting fourth today.
He’s the younger brother.
They look exactly alike.
He’s the younger brother of Samsung’s BAE CHAN SEUNG.
He already has four home runs this year,
so his power, average, and contact are all solid.
What’s Daegu High’s best result this year?
Uh, their season record,
I don’t think I looked that far.
Ugh, maybe I should’ve crushed you.
They placed 3rd in the Shinsegae E-Mart National High School Baseball Tournament.
Oh, that’s pretty good.
That’s all.
Thank you.
Nice job, MOON HO.
MOON HO’s doing great.
He must’ve been a coach in a past life.
If anyone has something to say, go ahead.
- Let’s start warming up. - Already?
I went out there and
I couldn’t breathe.
We’re doing fielding practice?
What a team.
Suddenly we’re doing fielding drills.
Right now I’m glued to the bench, but...
I am
the legendary 109-win pitcher.
SONG SEUNG JUN.
Today, I’ll throw each pitch with full care and effort.
Oh, my glorious past
and my even more glorious future.
SEUNG JUN, you’re seriously so cool.
Even I get surprised sometimes.
At how he ended up like this.
But how does SEUNG JUN pitch like that
and still stay so smooth?
Right?
Let’s go ask what his secret is.
Yes, sir.
Ugh, my back hurts.
Wow, thank you for your hard work, sir.
Good job out there.
I’m exhausted.
I threw way too many pitches.
Your pitches looked great!
They’re always good.
But your face is glowing after pitching...
- Did you put something on? - You think so?
I don’t show this to just anyone.
It’s my secret weapon.
It’s a sun stick.
Try applying it.
This is why
my face looks so smooth.
Seriously?
Touch here.
So soft!
Right?
It’s really soft.
You wouldn’t even know I put it on.
Once applied, it lasts 24 hours
and keeps blocking UV rays.
- That’s perfect for working out. - Exactly.
It lasts really long.
So my face aged because I didn’t use that.
It’s seriously powerful.
I should’ve started using this way earlier.
Let’s go.
Just because you’re always in the dugout
doesn’t mean you can skip skincare.
You have to keep up with it.
The UV rays will destroy your face.
Let’s put this on and give it our all today.
Got it.
We might have to pitch too, got it?
Let’s go.
Man, it’s hot today.
I can’t breathe.
It’s the perfect weather to collapse in.
- Wow, I can’t even touch this. - It’s a different level of heat.
If KIM JAE HO kiss the ground here, he's dead.
And it's artificial turf, so it’s even hotter.
You okay?
Can you handle it?
SHIN JAE YOUNG.
- Yes? - Let’s do a quick fighting.
They're acting way too tired.
It’s exhausting.
Let’s give it a fighting cheer.
Be the team that beats the heat.
- What? - Huh?
What is that?
Yo, is there a deer around here?
Nope.
Say fighting.
Fighting!
Let’s go!
They said we’re starting with fielding.
Why did they set all this up?
I told them to clear this stuff.
- We’re starting with fungoes, why’d they bring this out? - Seriously, come on.
We’re really doing fielding?
Want me to say it straight?
Coach, I won’t make any errors.
That’s your wish.
Infield, back to positions.
What are we doing today? Defense?
We’re doing fielding.
Really?
Why are we doing fielding?
Catch the ball and throw from second.
Yes, sir.
Hey, ball, second base!
Two!
The bounce is unpredictable.
Ball, ball, ball!
What’s JAE HO doing?
- KIM JAE HO. - Are you sleeping?
What’re you doing, JAE HO?
You still haven’t snapped out of retirement mode.
Fielding.
Huh?
Does this fielding even mean anything?
How did we even win like this?
The manager has arrived.
Hello, sir.
Manager's here early.
Now that the manager’s out, they are actually throwing.
Hey, fielding!
Seriously, good thing we did fielding.
As expected.
Seriously, good thing we did fielding.
These are the kinds of moments you need to capture.
My shoes are melting right now.
My body’s about to melt too.
Oh, that breeze feels nice.
The breeze is refreshing, this is perfect.
Wow, look at that cool air rising.
Yeah.
Feels like we’re on a frying pan.
There’s cool air rising, though.
It’s refreshing, really.
Ah, it’s cold, cold!
- So cold, freezing! - So refreshing.
Let’s hit once.
Then I’m staying inside.
I’ll take one swing and head inside.
I can’t stand out here anymore.
I’m gonna collapse, I’m seriously dizzy.
Ah, it’s cold.
Wait, are they done training?
How is it, how is it?
How is it, SHIN WOOK?
It’s not that hot though.
You’re saying it’s not hot?
It’s actually cool right now?
Number.
That’s it for numbers.
This isn’t variety now, it’s game time.
Time to switch into game mode.
Let’s play with confidence today, so
hand them their first loss and head to Daegu.
Okay?
Yes!
The stadium’s smaller than I thought.
Let’s go, right now.
Line up quick!
Let’s go, let’s go!
Infielders, let’s field ground balls.
Back up more and catch it on one bounce.
This kind of heat is pretty normal.
I don’t think it’ll affect the game.
With a dominant performance,
we'll show you what defeat tastes like.
Hey, let’s go, let’s go!
Three hits, three hits today!
Yo! YOO HEE KWAN, you better stay sharp!
Three hits, three hits!
Hello, Manager.
We’d like a quick word over here...
- How have you been? - Sorry, Manager.
- Haven’t had the chance to visit. - Nice to see you.
- Hello, Manager. - Yes.
- Hello. - Hello, nice to meet you.
- Curious how you've prepared for today. - We’re focusing on our batting.
Our pitching is fairly stable now,
so we’re focusing on our batting.
- We’ve trained really hard. - Then...
Well, compared to the past, this year’s offense...
Daegu High looks good, what do you think, Manager?
In terms of power, they’re really
- strong. - Yes.
Their potential is now
starting to show, I believe.
- Manager, you don’t usually speak this boldly... - Right.
- You’re not usually this aggressive with praise. - Exactly.
They seem to have improved a lot.
So today then...
- Which Fighters pitcher did you expect to start and prepare for? - Well,
we practiced against YOO HEE KWAN’s slow balls,
and RHEE DAE EUN’s dropping splitter.
We worked on those a lot.
- Not sure who’ll really start though. - Come on, Manager!
How do you even practice for YOO HEE KWAN’s slow curve?
- What options do you have for that...? - We’ve got a freshman pitcher who
- throws a killer slow curve. - Really? Like YOO HEE KWAN?
He was one of Daegu’s top prospects,
- so we scouted him. - You brought a top prospect just to
use him for batting practice?
- Well, to win today’s game, we had no choice. - Seriously?
Using a double-title pitcher...
Daegu High is using him just for BP.
- Is this for real, Manager? - That’s how it is.
That’s how it is.
- You’re not mad, right, Manager? - No anger, no anger allowed!
That’s how it is, for real.
That’s something people from Gyeongsang-do say when they’re mad.
- You know BAE CHAN SEUNG from last year? - Yeah, yeah, totally.
His younger brother’s playing now, right?
Right now, well...
He’s solid on defense,
and since he used to pitch, he throws well too.
He’s got power, and he can make contact even with two strikes.
But Manager, even in my dream,
you were praising your players a lot.
- Saying “this is a great team,” and all that. - Yes.
But in the dream, the game didn’t go so well. That kind of dream.
Back then, well,
since they were all retired players,
maybe I underestimated them a bit.
But the players didn’t take it lightly.
You did take us lightly, didn't you, Manager?
Seems like you’ve changed your approach this year.
We’re way more prepared now than back then.
- Manager, I apologize. - No, no, not at all.
- Looking forward to a great game today. - We’ll do our best.
- Manager, just one more thing... - You started out like this...
But ended up like this.
- Manager, this is on air... - Okay.
- DAE EUN, is that a perm too? - Yeah.
I used to have totally straight hair.
Take good care of it while you still have hair.
Don’t mess around...
But seriously, you not thinking about it?
- Gonna shoot a commercial? - No, but seriously, you never considered it?
Or transplant, you could, right?
- My hair? - It's like a rough patch, once it’s gone, you can’t even see the ball.
- Just get a transplant. - This is reverse spin now.
- Huh? - Just transplant it.
He says no, he’s happy just the way it is.
It’s not like you can transplant it just because you want to.
- You need the material... - Where would you pull it from, and how would you plant it?
Rip some from your armpit then.
Yeah, just rip out everything on my body.
You can pull from right here.
Let’s announce the lineup.
Here comes the lineup announcement.
Number 1!
- Stone! - Yes!
- I’ll do my best! - You’re really hyping up Stone.
Number 2, right fielder MUN GYO WON!
Yes, sir.
What? Oh, SOO HYUN’s injured, right...
I had a feeling he’d do well.
Let’s get a close-up of KIM MOON HO’s face.
It’s hot out, time for the younger players to go out.
- You did good analysis today. - I’ve done everything I could today...
- MOON HO, your face turned red. - No, it’s just the heat.
He didn’t hit well on the way here.
Didn’t swing well at the rest stop.
I got complimented though...
Number 3! Designated hitter!
- PARK YONG TAIK! - Yes!
He’s back.
- Number 4! DAE HO! - Yes!
- Number 5! JUNG EUI YOON! - Yes!
- Number 6! JEONG SEONG HOON! - Yes!
- Let’s play deep. - Okay!
Might be better to send him out around the 3rd inning.
- Number 7, LEE TAEK KEUN! - Yes!
- Center field. - Got it!
- Number 8, JAE WOOK! - Yes!
Number 9!
- Shortstop KIM JAE HO! - Yes!
- Didn’t you retire? - I did, but...
Yo, today’s a kiss day, plant one down there.
- Today it’s stuck tight down there. - Am I supposed to do this?
Feels like a burn, gonna get scorched.
- Starting pitcher, YOO HEE KWAN! - Yes!
He knew it already.
He’s loving the chance to pitch in front of a live crowd.
Alright! Number 2!
Mr. MUN GYO WON, no, our GYO WON!
Oh right, the one retired yesterday.
After that...
The pitcher and the captain, and close it all out.
- Go on, hurry up. - GYO WON, get up.
I’ve been given another opportunity.
Given another opportunity.
You’re an opportunist, huh?
I’ll be a player who never misses a chance.
And with the strong hitters in the 3rd and 4th spots,
I’ll do my best to connect and bridge them.
- The link! - The link!
This is KIM HYE SEONG from the Fighters.
Speak well, speak well.
Yeah, yesterday was...
If that was my last game,
then this is a new one
and I’ll give it my all. Thank you.
Because it’s hot out, on the mound,
I’ll speed up the tempo to keep runs off the board,
and pitch in a way that keeps the game moving. Thank you.
Alright, now, we always struggle in the summer.
So no more saying “It’s hot, it’s hot”
from right now, this very moment,
let’s not say it again until the game’s over.
YONG TAIK, you’re not even fielding.
Uh... yeah...
- Come on. - Seriously.
You can just hit once and then lie down.
Hit once and go lie down.
We have to stay out there though!
- One team, one team! - Nah, nah.
You kept asking EUI YOON
to field.
From this moment on, heat doesn’t exist for us!
Once today’s game is over,
“Today was tough, but I’m glad we won!”
Let’s make sure we can say, “Good job, everyone!” Okay!
- SHIN JAE YOUNG? - Yes.
- Do your job. - Got it.
You’re like a slate now.
- Thought you were pitching today? - Yes, today.
HEE KWAN might burn out trying to pitch fast in this heat.
So I’ll stay ready to back him up.
- Use your right hand. - Use your right!
Oh, right hand...
- Let’s do it, Flame! - Fighters!
Everyone has their role.
The Fighters' first away game in Ulsan comes with scorching heat.
Hello everyone, welcome to Burn to Win Baseball.
Today’s matchup, DAEGU High School vs. the FLAME FIGHTERS.
We’ll be bringing it to you.
- With expert commentary from KIM SUN WOO. Hello! - Hello!
They’re on a winning streak right now, but honestly
this season is what we’ve been most worried about.
As it gets hotter, the older Fighters players,
it’s not going to be easy for them to sustain through games physically.
Once I go full throttle, I start getting dizzy.
You can’t sprint too hard.
But today’s opponent for the Fighters
is Daegu High School.
If you ask which city is the hottest in Korea,
Daegu is always at the top of the list.
And they’re up against energetic high school students.
They’re determined to take down the Fighters today.
Manager SON KYUNG HO is full of conviction.
I want a tight, gritty game today
and promises to give it their all to win.
We, Daegu High, will hand the Fighters their first loss.
Today.
We don’t care about the process.
We’re just going to win.
- Attention, players, bow. - Hello!
- Okay. - Thank you.
- Sure.
Don’t be scared, don’t be scared. Let’s enjoy this.
Let’s go beast mode!
Beast mode!
Daegu High! Power! Let’s roar!
- Heart massage. - My heart’s already racing.
- Heart massage. - The weather’s cool enough...
Let’s stay focused early on.
Let’s hold strong...
Wait a second, we’ll start once the drone flies over.
Come on, hurry up.
- Get in here. - Hurry!
- It's turned it now. - Turn this way.
- The drone’s overheated. - Let’s go!
FLAME FIGHTERS!
- Man, I’m exhausted already. - Yeah, losing energy fast.
Here’s the batting order for Daegu High School.
Number 1 KIM CHANG BEOM, Number 2 OH SEUNG JAE,
Number 3 LEE JI BAEK, Number 4 BAE DA SEUNG,
Number 5 LEE JAE JUN, Number 6 KIM JU WON,
Number 7 KI HYUN, Number 8 MIN SANG HOON, and
Number 9 KANG JUNG GYEOM.
Now for the defensive lineup of the Fighters.
Outfield JUNG EUI YOON, LEE TAEK KEUN, MUN GYO WON.
Infield JUNG SUNG HOON, KIM JAE HO, JEONG KEUN WOO, LEE DAE HO.
Catcher PARK JAE WOOK.
EUI YOON, hold on a sec.
- GYO WON. - Yes?
Come over here for a second.
This part is deeper than it looks.
So if the ball drops in here,
it might not just be a triple, it could be a run. So...
You must back it up, no matter what.
EUI YOON's legs aren’t exactly fresh, so...
GYO WON, you cut in toward center fast,
- I’ll cover quickly too. - Yes, yes.
- Let’s go! - Let’s go! Let’s go!
No injuries!
Today’s starting pitcher is YOO HEE KWAN.
Is HEE KWAN good in the heat?
Yeah.
His head stays cool, right?
Daegu High School, in fact,
predicted that YOO HEE KWAN would start
and prepared intensively for it.
Not RHEE DAE EUN or any of the others.
- No, no. - They practiced only for YOO HEE KWAN.
- And now he’s the starter. - That’s right.
Aren’t you excited?
- Feels kinda thrilling, right? - Half excited, half nervous...!
Nothing scary, nothing scary!
So you gonna choke because you're nervous?
- Turn that excitement into confidence! - I’ll hit well because I’m pumped!
Alright, in this scorching heat,
YOO HEE KWAN needs to minimize the fielders' time out there.
This batter has nearly a .500 on-base percentage.
And he’s also the team’s top base stealer.
Start with Number 1!
Let’s go, let’s go!
The Fighters’ first Ulsan away game begins now!
- Alright, HEE KWAN! - Let’s go!
He targets the outside edge of the strike zone.
Okay, okay!
Throw it even slower, even slower.
Man, we practiced this a lot!
Just get set and hit it!
- This is all we practiced, just this! - One’s coming, one’s coming!
Overpower him, take it hit!
- The ball is hit to the right. - Okay!
- What was that? - Did it get past?
Ball to right field, right fielder’s got it!
MUN GYO WON comes down with it for the out.
- Nice job. - GYO WON, nice!
Okay!
Good, good.
- Solid defense, really good. - Okay, nice work.
Wasn’t that supposed to be MOON HO’s ball?
He stepped in and got it on one bounce.
Nah.
- I would’ve caught that out front... right to the chest. - Really?
Hey, don’t underestimate MOON HO.
- You’re worse though. - Whyyy...
Last time we saw him in person,
he was good when fielding against the other team. But...
- We were wondering when he’d perform for our team. - Yeah.
But he made an awesome catch right from the 1st inning.
- That’s right. - In fact, this is his first year as a full-time outfielder.
Now he reads the drop point really well.
His first step off the mark was sharp.
- He ran in aggressively from the start, and that’s why he got it. - Right.
- He runs well now, really improved. - Yeah, he’s come a long way.
Now it’s the #2 batter, OH SEUNG JAE.
He’s batting .338 this season.
He may be small, but he’s got serious power.
Number 2, OH SEUNG JAE.
A powerful number two hitter!
High pitch, toward the pitcher.
High pitch toward the pitcher!
YOO HEE KWAN fields it, great defense from him.
He tosses it to first, that’s two outs!
- What? - What just happened?
Okay.
- That was some great defense. - Nice, nice!
Excellent fielding.
YOO HEE KWAN’s surprisingly nimble, huh?
Look at that body, built to move.
- No, really, take a look. - You think so?
Right after pitching, he transitions perfectly into defense.
- He’s got quick reflexes. - Yeah.
That’s what we just saw.
Clean fielding, and now it’s two outs.
SEUNG JAE! That looked like a hit...
Seriously, what was that just now?
- That was a hit. - Clean pick-up.
- That was nice. - With that clean fielding, it's now two outs.
- Hello. - Oh, hey there.
Now stepping up is the #3 batter, LEE JI BAEK.
He transitioned from pitcher to infielder.
That’s why he’s known as a five-tool player with a powerful shoulder.
LEE JI BAEK.
Dang, why is this kid so huge?
- There goes LEE JI BAEK! - LEE JI BAEK!
LEE JI BAEK!
- He hit that one. - He read that breaking ball perfectly.
That’s a clean base hit to left-center.
- Go, go, go! - To second! To second!
- LEE TAEK KEUN’s on it fast. - TAEK KEUN scoops it up.
The batter doesn’t make it to second.
- Okay! - LEE JI BAEK goes after the slow curve on the first pitch.
LEE JI BAEK.
He hit that curveball on the very first pitch?
- Yeah, they’re super aggressive. - Looks like they were expecting the curve.
- Daegu High School trained with a Little YOO HEE KWAN. - Right.
They had him throw pitches so the batters could prepare.
What kind of pitch? A 70km/h slow curve!
And that’s what he just hit right there.
Just like you said, he held steady and hit it.
You could feel it.
If it weren’t for LEE TAEK KEUN in center,
that would've easily been a double.
And having a runner in scoring position is a whole different ballgame.
- Absolutely. - Yep.
- Nice one, nice! - That throw from TAEK KEUN
could end up changing the whole inning.
Two outs, two outs.
Now it’s the #4 batter, BAE DA SEUNG.
He’s the younger brother of BAE CHAN SEUNG, who joined the Samsung Lions.
He’s hit 4 home runs,
with a .394 batting average.
He’s an excellent hitter, no doubt.
BAE CHAN SEUNG is currently
- making waves in the KBO. - Exactly.
So we’re curious how the younger brother will do in next year’s draft.
Can’t wait to see.
They look exactly the same.
- Swing. - Yeah, early swing.
That bat speed is savage.
Get farther off! More!
Pick-off to first.
That’s a good move, solid pick-off attempt.
Just in case, pull it.
Out!
- They called him out. - The runner’s been called out!
Safe!
Wasn’t he out?
Is he really out?
Why?
Time! This isn’t right.
This game’s gonna be a close one.
Time!
At first base, well... his hand...
It looked like it was simultaneous.
Let’s see what the ruling is.
Out.
Let’s go!
So with that pick-off out,
HEE KWAN retires the side facing just three batters.
A crisp start from YOO HEE KWAN.
He kept taking a lead...
Like, he kept inching out.
- So I just threw it straight away. - I did that slow on purpose, right?
I figured he’s gonna jump again, so I fired it.
But wait, they don’t get review anymore?
They’ve got one more challenge, right?
If the first one succeeds, they get a second challenge.
- Yeah, and if both succeed, they get one extra. - Really?
Still, HEE KWAN really
closed out that hot inning fast and clean.
- But wasn’t it crazy how they hit that slow curve earlier? - Yeah.
They must’ve practiced that a lot.
It’s all in their heads now.
- Their timing was spot-on. - Right.
- All three of them throw a ton. - A ton.
NA HYUN SEO doesn’t throw fast,
but he starts a lot of games.
- That’s why he’s useful early on. - Exactly.
Because his control’s great.
Today’s starting pitcher for Daegu High School is NA HYUN SEO.
- HYUN SEO. - Yes.
- Go head-to-head, alright? - Yes, sir.
- Don’t back off. - Got it.
He’s the most reliable pitcher on their team.
Because of his exceptional command,
NA HYEON SEO is expected to
pitch at least three innings.
If he can get through that, they have a shot at winning.
That’s Manager SON KYUNG HO’s plan.
- So we just need to knock him out before that. - Yep.
He’s throwing well.
Is he hitting 135?
- How was in the bullpen? - Felt comfortable.
- No pain, right? - No.
- Throw it with confidence! - Got it.
Focus on the leadoff batter! Stay sharp!
Leading off is JEONG KEUN WOO.
The devil, second baseman.
He looks like he’ll swing right away.
Right, didn’t he release an album too?
Stone! Stone!
What’s with the stone thing?
Nice one, Stone.
Powerful Stone.
High pitch, through the strike zone.
Nice pitch, HYUN SEO!
That’s good.
Looks like he’s touching 140.
He’s not blazing fast, but he’s throwing smoothly.
- That’s something you like to see. - Yeah.
He seems to pitch with ease.
HYUN SEO’s energy is great today.
Pulled it!
Right between third and shortstop, splits the defenders.
JEONG KEUN WOO with a base hit!
Strong start! Great start!
Stone!
That one rolled just right, really nice.
He just tapped it cleanly out front.
- That was such a good hit. - It went in perfectly, right?
That was a perfect pitch, though.
JEONG KEUN WOO records the first hit of the game.
Now it’s #2 hitter MUN GYO WON stepping in.
CHOI SOO HYUN did so well before, so...
- Our #2 slot has been a strong one all season. - Exactly.
If MUN GYO WON can hit in a way that makes us forget SOO HYUN,
this is the crucial part.
GYO WON’s got the 2nd inning.
He pulled it.
Pulled it toward first base.
Caught it, tried for the lead runner.
Double play!
Got the lead runner.
Safe! Safe! Safe!
- He dropped the ball. - Safe! Safe! Safe!
Safe, no base!
He’s been called safe.
- Safe! Safe! Safe! - He’s safe!
Out! Out! What are you talking about?
- What... - His foot left the bag, his foot came off!
Didn’t he drop it after the catch?
- He’s out. - Out! Out! Out! Out!
- They’re saying no base, no base. - No base.
I touched the base.
No video review?
- There is. - Isn’t there?
- Yeah, there is video review. - Then why aren’t they using it?
But if they use it now,
they’ll use up two challenges from the 1st inning.
That could be the case for Daegu High.
- I stepped on it and pulled off too fast. - No way, no way.
- You sure? - Yeah.
The ball came in like this.
When it hit the glove, you had already left the base.
That’s where the step happened.
This much movement.
He looked like he was trying to pull it and lost it.
Let it go.
- You totally dropped it right then. - This is a huge chance for us.
That’s right. The error gives us runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs.
Now the #3 batter steps in.
- It’s PARK YONG TAIK. - Since he's throwing lots of sliders...
Put some spin on it.
PARK YONG TAIK had been struggling,
but finally broke his hitless streak after 21 at-bats in a live broadcast.
He’s got the lowest batting average. The lowest.
Time! Time! Time!
That way.
Was he really happy that day? Did he get emotional?
- Was he overjoyed? - Did he cry again?
- Didn’t cry? Gave a long interview? - He teared up.
He did all the things you’re thinking of.
Even Manager KIM SUNG KUN, after PARK YONG TAIK won MVP,
gave a speech in the middle.
- Got his patch right here. - Yes, yes, yes.
He looked at his watch then.
Why you guys do me like this, seriously.
Manager’s checking his phone.
- It went a bit long. - I see.
We’ve gotta bring the energy up. Bring it up.
Lift it up!
The first pitch’s a strike.
- That pitch looked good. - Nice.
What’s the speed?
He kinda reminds me of LEE SEUNG MIN from Samsung.
He’s got a vibe.
He’s small but really packs a punch, huh?
- Swing! - Big drop on that pitch.
Swing and a miss!
Okay.
NA HYUN SEO’s doing well.
If he strikes him out here, NA HYUN SEO’s the man.
- Nice, nice! - Love it!
Alright, count is 0-2.
He's got the upper hand in the count.
For a lefty, that slider
drops just slightly from the middle.
- That’s tough to hit. - Yeah.
Starts inside then slides across the middle, that’s tricky.
That one was high.
- Let’s go! - It goes high.
This ball is drifting out.
Right fielder makes the catch.
JEONG KEUN WOO couldn’t tag up.
Okay.
I can’t wait.
I just can't hold back.
Gotta stay strong.
- HYUN SEO’s doing great. - So now, 1 out with runners on 1st and 2nd.
Here comes trouble.
This guy’s the scariest.
Seriously, he’s terrifying.
Even before the game, NA HYUN SEO said
he was determined to get LEE DAE HO out no matter what.
Let’s see how he pitches to this batter.
Why are you scared? Don’t be!
Why is he so big though?
- But seriously... - Is he even human?
No, he’s a giant.
Still a full-blown Giant, feels like he’s still playing.
Okay! Okay! Okay! Okay!
It bounces!
- It bounces. - Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop!
Hold on.
Hold up, runners go back.
Stop! Stop!
Wait, runner, back to his base.
Back to his base.
The ball got away!
Go! Go! Go!
Stop! Stop! That’s short!
You alright?
The runners each advance one more step.
JEONG KEUN WOO’s smart baserunning
is rattling the infield.
- Thank you! Thank you! - Thank you! Thank you!
- Okay, hit it to the outfield! - Okay, okay.
There it is!
No, not like that. Not like this.
JEONG KEUN WOO stretched his lead and dashed back.
Catcher LEE JAE JUN made a throw, watch here.
They thought they caught him.
So he fired it quickly.
But it turned out to be lucky for us.
Great play, JEONG KEUN WOO!
Even if you get caught, it's fine.
Defense, play your game one play at a time.
We’ve got a runner in scoring position.
Time to pick up an RBI.
LEE DAE HO is now up
in a prime spot to drive in a run.
If it were me, I’d walk him intentionally.
But EUI YOON’s even sharper now, batting .400!
- EUI YOON is hitting better right now. - Look, they’re all ex-pro hitters.
- The guy behind is even scarier. - He’s batting .400.
- A .400 hitter. - Yup, we’ve got a .400 hitter back there.
Why am I the one getting nervous?
Because of the shaky defense,
NA HYUN SEO is starting to wobble on the mound.
Can he
overcome this pressure himself?
He drives it the other way!
Second baseman gives chase.
Spins and throws to first.
Gets the batter out.
Meanwhile, JEONG KEUN WOO scores.
Okay! Okay! O
He caught that?!
Okay! Okay! Okay!
Okay.
LEE DAE HO drives in the first run!
If he had been standing here, that would've been a hit.
Well done, let’s go!
Nice! That was solid.
Nice one, bro!
Good job, Stone!
- Nice one, Stone. - Good work, good job.
Stone’s on fire!
- It rolled in. - Stone’s doing great!
- That rolled just right. - Yeah, perfectly rolled.
- Roll, roll, roll, roll! - Rolls around like a champ.
Let’s go, Stone!
This ball...
- It skipped off the turf and sped up. - Yeah.
And he still caught it.
He lowered his stance.
KIM CHANG BEOM made a great catch behind the play.
He smacked it the other way.
Alright, one out left in the inning.
MUN GYO WON is now on third base.
Let’s go, Noryangjin!
HYUN SOO, forget everything else, focus on the batter!
Now stepping in, the #5 hitter, JUNG EUI YOON.
His arms, what’s that?
Thickness.
Hey, he’s got the highest batting average. Highest on the team.
.400.
He’s a total killer.
He’s the only one on the team hitting .400.
Leads the team in home runs and batting average.
Second in RBIs.
That’s reassuring.
The mood’s great right now.
Let’s shut it down here.
Outside pitch, called strike three!
EUI YOON’s eyes are popping out!
They’ve struck out JUNG EUI YOON, the team’s top hitter,
with a looking strikeout.
That was starter NA HYUN SEO.
The Flame Fighters are held to just one run.
We head into the 2nd inning.
Hey, at least we limited the damage.
Now we just need to catch up.
Huh? That’s easy now.
This is coming, guaranteed.
- Gotta hit now, got it? - Yes!
Let’s go! Let’s go! Let’s go!
- You’re doing great! - Catch up immediately!
Okay, okay.
But I think they’ll hit HEE KWAN’s stuff well.
- Me too. - Yeah.
- They’ve really practiced... - Yeah, their contact is no joke.
- I mean, hitting that slow curveball? - Right.
DA SEUNG, if you try to see everything first, you'll be late.
- Wasn’t that timing a bit late earlier? - Exactly.
So make sure the timing isn't late again.
- Aim for right-center. - Got it.
Let’s go, YOO HEE KWAN!
And we’re now in the top of the 2nd.
Let’s do this.
With the runner out on base,
BAE DA SEUNG is back up as the leadoff hitter.
- First pitch cut, foul back. - Foul.
Okay.
Nice swing, nice rotation.
That’s the only thing he’s been practicing.
We're different now, not the same as before.
- He’s hitting everything slow. - Yeah.
Looks like their plan against YOO HEE KWAN is
actually working pretty well.
Second pitch.
He’s hitting them all, huh?
Swings with zero hesitation.
Foul down the first base line.
EUI YOON!
He pulls it!
Okay!
He pulls it!
Split the gap!
That’s it!
- Okay! Okay! - Left fielder.
Comes in and makes the catch.
Okay.
Right? Right?
One out, one out.
Now, the #5 hitter,
LEE JAE JUN steps up to the plate.
- JAE JUN! - Good to see you.
Hello, JAE WOOK!
- How’ve you been? - Good!
LEE JAE JUN is an amazing catcher.
Despite being a catcher, this year alone,
he’s hit for the cycle twice!
I mean, hitting for the cycle...
It’s hard enough to do even once a year,
but he’s done it twice just this year!
- Quick contact! - That was a good hit!
To center, center fielder LEE TAEK KEUN
makes the play, two outs.
He hits it that well, but it always goes right at someone.
Basically,
YOO HEE KWAN’s pitches don’t really get much air.
Our outfield’s been solid today.
Yeah, that’s probably why we’re defending well.
Yes, thank you.
His body's...
unreal.
Now at bat, KIM JU WON.
He’s got top-level bat control.
His exit velocity is incredibly high.
Hey, seriously, if JU WON connects, it might leave the park.
No joke. I mean it.
Okay, grounder fielded cleanly.
Alright, one-hop to KIM JAE HO.
Shortstop KIM JAE HO to first.
- Just beats the runner to the bag. - Easy out, easy!
- Genius Shortstop! - Genius Shortstop!
Easy out, easy.
Genius Shortstop, what was that!
- His release is lightning quick. - Yeah, right?
- That was risky, Genius Shortstop. - He’s slower than me.
I’m faster than him.
KIM JAE HO, back from his retirement ceremony
- had a slight hiccup on the first play, but - No kiss? Shouldn’t you give it a kiss for that?
Makes the out clean, and wraps up the inning in three batters.
- Nice catch! - Hey, you gonna pay attention or what?
- You gonna toss the ball away? - No!
- The ball... - First base a trash can now?
- Couldn’t see it, the glare got me. - Just throw it anywhere then.
Throw it accurately, please.
- You handle the catching. - Sorry, sorry!
My arm nearly fell off just now.
We gotta be honest about these things.
Say it straight... didn’t dash, messed up the footwork, right?
The throw was off too, and then DAE HO...
That’s the kind of stuff we should say.
- Commentator, you’ve been holding back lately. - Me lately...
Even with me.
Even during the show, no jokes?
Lately I’ve noticed
you have that many fans.
Feels like you sent people after me.
That got me feeling a certain way, you know? So...
Figured I better watch what I say, so I came up with something.
I need to gather some Colorado fans of my own.
- So those Colorado fans... - Colorado?
They’re super hardcore, for real.
So I decided...
Number one in my heart is KIM SUN WOO, don’t hold back.
Exactly, classic GM JANG.
He was a Colorado fan.
JANG SI WON was a Colorado fan, I’m telling you.
Nah, he’s a Lotte Giants fan, what Colorado.
First ever Colorado fan!
It’s hot, all this fun talk is making me sweat.
Right now he’s maxing out around 110 km/h.
So if you’re expecting a slow pitch,
you’ll naturally react.
But the key is, don’t pop it up. We’re hitting too many fly balls.
Just one run, that’s all we need.
If we don’t score in the 3rd, it’s gonna get tough.
Let’s grind one out.
Let’s go, let’s go!
Let’s put some runs on the board.
It’s about time.
Still on the mound, YOO HEE KWAN.
He’s kept a clean sheet so far, not a single run allowed.
Leading off for Daegu High, KI HYUN.
He’s an outfielder with solid hitting skills.
He’s got great physical tools too.
- Long time no see, KI HYUN. - Right?
A hitter that commentator KIM SUN WOO was especially fond of.
The Cha Eunwoo of Daegu High.
Go, go, go!
Keep it low.
Finish it off, Flame YOO HEE KWAN.
Solid hit to right-center.
Clean base hit!
Go for two! Round it! Keep going!
Round it, round it!
KI HYUN’s heading for second.
Ran in safely at second!
A leadoff double for KI HYUN.
Man, what’s with our guy KI HYUN today?
Right?
- The timing was perfect. - Yeah.
Even a short hit could score him from second now.
And MUN GYO WON did a great job cutting it off.
The tying run is now in scoring position at second base.
Now batting, #8 hitter MIN SANG HOON.
He’s batting .400 this season.
Just remember what the manager said earlier and stay focused.
It’s still early, but it’s a one-run game.
- So he has to pitch very carefully. - Absolutely.
- One at a time. - Bunt’s coming, bunt!
The infield is drawn in now.
DAE HO is charging in from first.
Let’s see what play they’ve called.
- First pitch swing, high pop fly. - What was that?
KIM JAE HO’s under it.
Runner holds, batter is out at first.
- Thank you! Thank you! - High school coaches hate that kind of play.
- KIM JAE HO literally had his retirement ceremony yesterday. - Right.
He was at the main gate greeting fans,
- the production crew basically kidnapped him for today. - Are you serious?
Seriously? The production crew??
They’re something else, really.
Producer JANG is totally obsessed with Genius Shortstop.
The runner is still on second.
Next batter is KANG JUNG GYEOM.
- JUNG GYEOM, just keep it light like a pepper game. - Got it.
Let’s get that tying hit.
JUNG GYEOM, this is what you’re best at.
Let’s see what he swings at first.
Caught it off the inside, drifting into foul territory.
None of the batters are flinching or getting shaken.
- That’s pretty telling, right? - Yeah.
In the past, facing YOO HEE KWAN,
they’d get rattled, talk about how nasty his pitches are.
But we’re not hearing any of that now.
JUNG GYEOM!
- Think big, go big! - Yes!
Nice, nice, stay focused!
He pokes it outside.
Slow roller, JEONG KEUN WOO scoops it.
Throws to first, he’s out.
Meanwhile, the runner advances to third.
Okay, okay.
That’s how you do it, that’s right.
Two outs now.
- Now just don't bunch up, we’re good. - That was nice.
Good job, good job.
Two down.
Now back to the top of the order, it’s KIM CHANG BEOM at the plate.
- We need to be careful here. - Absolutely.
He’s had time to prepare
and has already seen YOO HEE KWAN’s pitches.
Everyone’s had one look already.
And these hitters,
they’re all timing him well, even early.
So now it’s getting a little dangerous.
- Watch out for this one. - Seriously, watch him.
Gotta be cautious with the top of their lineup.
Watch out for hitters 1 through 5, for real.
KI HYUN, let’s hold them!
- We’ve got to protect this lead. - Let’s go!
That's high!
That ball is traveling.
What's up with the pitch he threw?
This inning is the one I was most worried about.
If we give up a run here,
today’s game will get really tough.
- That’s just something I wanted to point out. - Understood.
YOO HEE KWAN needs to pitch his absolute best here.
Shut it down right here, right now.
Can he escape this inning without giving up a run?
YOO HEE KWAN winds up.
Pulled slightly, here comes the swing.
Just over the shortstop’s glove!
And with that, in the top of the third, we’re tied.
Daegu High evens the score.
It’s 1–1.
KIM CHANG BEOM delivers the game-tying RBI single.
Nice batting! Great job!
So close.
Feels like we’re slowly getting outplayed.
Just a one-run difference.
Had a bad feeling about this.
They’re starting to time everything just right.
- Yeah, exactly. - And that’s how they tied it up.
Now in the 3rd, they’ve tied it right back up.
- These kids could really catch fire now. - Definitely.
This year, they’re definitely built different.
Daegu High has clearly trained hard
and they’ve figured out how to attack YOO HEE KWAN.
They’ve been showing it this whole time.
We’re no easy opponent.
We’re a powerhouse.
2 outs, runner on first.
At bat, number 2 hitter, OH SEUNG JAE.
SEUNG JAE!
Hit it like last time!
Pull it this way, pull it in.
HEE KWAN, two outs, let’s get out of this.
Shut it down right here.
KIM CHANG BEOM is fast,
so a big hit could bring him all the way home.
Pulled it hard.
JEONG KEUN WOO was in perfect position
and makes the play! That’s the third out.
The hitting’s looking solid today.
Close one, close one!
Nice job on positioning.
- Well done. - Nice pitch! Nice ball!
- I’m totally gassed. - Same here, seriously.
Still, KI HYUN’s leadoff double
and KIM CHANG BEOM’s game-tying hit.
It’s all tied up at 1–1.
This could get rough in the later innings.
- This isn’t just any team. - You’re right.
Today, no one’s losing their balance at the plate.
They’re all just waiting for the pitch and making clean contact.
Now the bottom of the 3rd, Flame Fighters are at bat.
Leading off, KIM JAE HO.
Just yesterday, he had a grand retirement ceremony,
and now he’s been dragged out to Ulsan.
But wasn’t it really touching yesterday?
Yeah, seriously moving.
- Honestly, I’ve seen KIM JAE HO up close more than most people. - Right.
He went through a lot, but...
- He retired with real joy. - That’s true.
10 years as a backup, then 10 years as a starter.
Grounder to third, throw to first.
Out at first.
That’s what his first 10 years at Doosan looked like.
- That’s why it was tough. - I see.
He only played defense well.
And it’s not like Burn to Win is going to run for 10 more years.
So we gotta be realistic here.
We need to treat this guy with care.
Sorry, JAE HO.
Feels like I’m dying.
You even lost weight.
Man, load up on sodium before the game,
and replenish all those electrolytes before you come in.
What’s up with my elbow? Why’s it raised like that?
- Meanwhile, JEONG KEUN WOO steps up. - Stone.
Swings at the first pitch, ground ball.
And he’s out at first.
Just like that, two outs.
We’re getting dragged along.
Can’t let this game slip away.
Now batting, number two hitter MUN GYO WON.
- Swings at the first pitch again. - That’s MUN GYO WON.
Second baseman dives, flips it to the pitcher.
Pitcher steps on the bag first.
Okay! Okay! Okay!
NA HYUN SEO ends the inning with just four pitches.
Score is tied 1–1. We head to the 4th inning.
Nice. That was clean.
Okay.
I’ve got a weird feeling about today.
So good. Really good. Too good. Way too good.
Play it wide and bold.
What’ve we got to lose?!
You’re doing great right now.
Let’s squeeze in one run, isn’t it already the 5th?
Let’s go, let’s go!
We’re now in the top of the 5th inning.
Today, YOO HEE KWAN has held the opponents to just one run.
KI HYUN, in his first at-bat,
hit a double off YOO HEE KWAN.
We’ve gotta get him this time!
We gotta get him?
But we always get hit by the same guys, you know?
Hey, quit jinxing it.
First pitch, outside, strike.
Oh yeah, nice.
Good, good throw.
Mr. Throw.
Foul ball, listen to that shout.
Man, these kids really whip that swing.
They're waiting and then slapping it toward center.
They’ve got some solid swings.
Definitely clean swings.
- By the way, who else has the last name Ki? - Ki?
- Ki Sung Yueng. - Ki Tae Young.
- Ki Tae Young, the one married to Yoo Jin? - That guy?
- Kim Ki Tae? - Oh, Ki Tae?
Goose.
Train ticket.
Kian84.
Count is 2 strikes and a ball, YOO HEE KWAN on the mound.
Swing and a miss.
Struck him out.
Perfect pitch.
- That’s our guy. - Nice one, man.
What was that? He planted it.
- Buried it. - Totally planted.
You never see that kind of pitch.
Even at training camps.
Grade schoolers, man.
- Even elementary kids throw 110 these days. - Seriously.
That pitch speed’s basically elementary school level.
- Nah, it’s different. - Elementary-level speed.
Nice pitch! One out, one out!
SANG HOON!
SANG HOON, even after a first strike you can still hit it.
It’s not a blazing fastball.
Just watch it all the way through.
If you time it right, it’s totally hittable.
Now at bat, #8 hitter MIN SANG HOON.
He pushes it.
He pushes it to right-center.
- And it’s a long hit. - Yup.
- That’s Daegu High’s 5th hit of the game. - It is.
Every hit today has come off a breaking ball.
- They’re only looking for off-speed. - All breaking stuff.
They’re sitting on the slow stuff. That’s why.
- Tell him to get ready. - DAE EUN?
Sushi! Sushi!
Hey, Sushi! Get in there!
- Move it, Sushi. - Sushi’s you.
DAE EUN, get everything ready.
Who’s he talking to?
Okay!
After one out, MIN SANG HOON hits a single.
Next up is the 9th batter, KANG JUNG GYEOM.
What’s with that battle cry?
It’s distracting.
Take him down hard.
Keep it low, keep it low.
First pitch, hit deep!
Daegu High’s good eyes.
KANG JUNG GYEOM just looked at Manager SON KYUNG HO for a long time.
It’s okay, no steal here. No steal.
He’s not running. Definitely not running.
Cutoff executed.
He hits it right where the fielder moved from, base hit!
The runner on first races all the way to third.
- Steal! Steal! Steal! - He’s heading to third!
Okay!
Daegu High’s strategy worked!
At a crucial scoring moment,
they completely fooled us.
That was a perfectly executed play.
Because the batter is left-handed,
our shortstop shifted toward second base.
And that opened the hole for a clean hit.
Didn’t see that coming.
One hit-and-run and they nailed it.
- They don’t use plays often, but when they do... - Exactly.
Didn’t you say earlier they don’t analyze much?
I told you, they rarely run plays.
Only when it’s close like a one-run game.
That’s when they throw in bunts or plays like that.
Your scouting report was off, man.
Let’s call a time-out.
- Tiring, huh? - Let’s take it slow.
- We gotta stop them, it’s getting frustrating. - Anyway, next batter’s a righty.
He might run too.
So be ready, just keep an eye on that.
A pitcher cutoff should work.
- I feel like the guy on third will go. Let the pitcher throw it to me. - Yeah, for sure.
So now 1 out, runners on the corners.
A fly ball could drive in a run here.
And KIM CHANG BEOM got a hit earlier, so
they're hoping for another here.
Daegu High is now in control of this game.
- You said we can’t let them dictate the pace. - No way, no way.
So giving up a run here
is absolutely unacceptable.
He's running, be careful!
Even when you expect it, they still pull it off.
Always back up, no matter what.
Tighten it up, just a bit.
Stick to what you do best, YOO HEE KWAN.
- Let’s go! - Double play, double!
One out, runners on first and third.
Pushed it.
It’s headed to right field, the right fielder’s tracking it.
That’s it.
Okay, please, catch it, catch it!
It’s in right field.
And it drops in, base hit!
Runner from third scores easily.
Runner from first heads to third.
The throw goes to third.
- He’s at third... - Okay!
- He’s in! - He’s in!
Slide! Slide!
What’s the call at third!
- Safe. - He’s ruled safe!
An RBI go-ahead hit!
KIM CHANG BEOM gives Daegu High the lead over the Fighters.
- Wow, he got that off... - Must’ve missed the tag.
What a weird swing, seriously.
The tag didn’t land?
- He tagged him. - Still safe?
Yeah, but the hand beat the tag.
It was a bit wide outside,
he purposely pushed it the other way.
MUN GYO WON tried to field it on a bounce,
but his footwork got tangled.
And he avoided the tag by sliding way outside.
Brilliant slide.
So this inning,
Manager SON KYUNG HO’s strategy has been flawless.
- Now the Fighters are the ones in trouble. - That’s right.
Still one out, runners on first and third.
Now it’s time for a showdown with the No. 2 hitter, OH SEUNG JAE.
Hey, let’s bring Deagu High intensity!
Let’s go, HEE KWAN! Nice pitch, nice pitch.
We really need to stop them here.
Squeeze play, get ready for a squeeze!
They might go for a surprise bunt
or a squeeze here.
YOO HEE KWAN and JEONG SEONG HOON really need to stay focused.
No way, are they really going for another hit-and-run?
He's showing bunt.
Shaking that bat!
Shake the field!
Take it slow, nice and easy.
Let’s stop the momentum here.
Let’s stop them.
Flame Fighters are in a crisis.
Let’s stop them.
Pushed through!
He's running! No, no!
Pushed through!
Hit through the 3rd base gap!
Runner from third scores easily.
Daegu High records their 8th hit.
Okay!
Nice, nice!
Okay, okay, okay!
Another run for Daegu High, now it's 3-1, a two-run lead.
In today’s very tight game, Manager Son Kyung-ho’s strategies
and the players’ persistence.
As we watched the ball in play,
We
– gave up the lead. – Indeed.
Manager’s strategy totally worked.
And you still think Incheon High is better?
Are you still saying we’re worse than Sungnam High?
We don’t talk, we let the game speak.
Why aren’t you saying anything?
I did say something.
– Switch out. – Yes, all set.
Time! Time!
Eventually, Manager KIM SUNG KUN heads to the mound.
They’re hitting well, making solid contact. Their swings are quick too.
They’re watching and making clean contact, impressive.
They’re hitting even the balls out of the zone.
Okay, good work.
Starting pitcher YOO HEE KWAN leaves the mound without finishing the 5th inning.
Pitching change, RHEE DAE EUN is coming in.
– Let’s go, get in there! – Fighting!
– Let’s go, one out, bro. – Okay.
– It all starts now. – Got it.
It’s a crisis for the Flame Fighters.
Let’s stop them, DAE EUN.
We analyzed them thoroughly.
We’ve got all the scouting done.
JI BAEK.
– You have to get it in. Don’t overdo it. – Yes.
– Don’t just rely on power. Stay light. – Okay.
Even if you allow this...
– You have to stop the momentum. – Exactly.
Batter LEE JI BAEK.
Let’s see if RHEE DAE EUN can shut down the heart of the lineup.
Of course, it’s the cleanup hitter.
– This guy hits well. – His slider’s sharp today.
We’ve gotta stop it here.
We need dominant pitching, strikeouts, whiffs, that’s what we need.
Big whiff, huge swing and miss.
We need more of those whiffs!
Just overpower them with your stuff.
Let’s go Super Saiyan!
139 km/h looks so fast?
JI BAEK hits even 150.
– Strike. – Comes in on the outside.
Is he really retired?
This kind of dominant pitching is exactly what we need.
This is exactly what RHEE DAE EUN needs to show.
It’s all about timing, a battle of timing.
It’s timing, that’s all.
We have to stop them here, this is their No. 3 hitter.
– Do it, do it. – Let’s shut them down right here.
RHEE DAE EUN has the advantage in the count.
Outside pitch, looking strikeout!
Yes! Why didn’t he swing at that?
His four-seamer and two-seamer,
RHEE DAE EUN is showing such fluid, solid pitching today.
– His pitching balance is excellent today. – It really is.
Three-pitch strikeout, RHEE DAE EUN puts out the fire.
But we can’t relax yet.
It’s the cleanup hitter now.
Now it’s No. 4 batter, BAE DA SEUNG.
We have to stop him.
We need to be careful.
– He’s got power to end this. – Indeed.
His timing’s off.
– Was that a forkball? – Fork. Forkball.
The ball just vanished.
That splitter, is it even better than MIN JUN’s?
Yeah, it’s better than MIN JUN’s splitter.
Today, RHEE DAE EUN's
pitch balance is just outstanding, I think.
Remember after that perfect game, his balance was great?
– Looks like he’s found that rhythm again. – When he was injured?
Makes sense.
It’s like facing Ohtani out there.
Good stuff, DAE EUN!
Let’s go!
Big swing!
Just like that, RHEE DAE EUN gets ahead 0–2.
He’s choking up on the bat now?
He’s just trying to make contact.
– If that forkball drops again, he’ll swing. – Yep.
– One out left in the inning, one strike away. – Yeah, a splitter here might do it.
He could definitely strike him out here.
Sign exchange is taking a while, RHEE DAE EUN steps off.
This is the finisher. The pitch he really wants to throw.
RHEE DAE EUN’s thinking strikeout right now.
He’s made his pitch decision.
Blonde-haired pitcher, RHEE DAE EUN.
High outside, strike three!
– Nice! – Okay!
That’s it, nice pitch.
There it is, upside down.
– That’s filthy. – Gotta respect that.
Two straight strikeouts.
RHEE DAE EUN lights up the scoreboard with Ks.
But the score remains 3–1, Flame Fighters still trail by two.
We head into the bottom of the 5th inning.
Hey, with your blonde hair, I thought you were NIPPERT.
– Great job to stop the momentum. – Okay!
– 143? – But I think that fastball strikeout
was kind of a fluke, honestly, I really fired it in.
He’s got some real zip.
His pitches are really sharp today.
Just like when he was sick, maybe even better.
There it is, this is how it happens, YONG GUM.
– This is how it turns around. – Sure looks that way.
Game over.
No way we give up runs now.
First pitch change.
– Is that him? Their ace? – Looks like it. Their ace.
– They're bringing in their ace now that they're ahead. – KIM MIN JUN.
The team's second pitcher, KIM MIN JUN, takes the mound.
He's actually considered the ace of Daegu High School.
His top velocity reaches 152 km/h.
He throws both a slider and a splitter.
He's expected to go in the 1st round of the KBO rookie draft.
144? That’s fast, wow.
He’s got a solid build, thick.
He's got power.
We're definitely going to see this guy in the KBO soon.
– Absolutely. We get the first look. – That's right.
Okay.
Good pitch.
Nice forkball.
Like we mentioned, he's known for that splitter.
Actually, after last season’s game,
RHEE DAE EUN taught him that pitch.
Isn’t he just spamming forkballs now?
So now we’re gonna get a RHEE DAE EUN spy conspiracy? Why is it always me?
It was last year, that’s why.
– Yeah. – Didn’t expect to face him again, huh?
Nice to see you again.
Let’s see what kind of hitting LEE TAEK KEUN brings this time.
First pitch, low and outside.
– Hey, throw even faster. – You surprised already? Come on.
It’s going to hit 150 eventually anyway.
He's throwing at 146 km/h now.
Outside again, this time it’s in.
Was that a forkball or slider?
Either slider or fork.
– Slider. – Yeah, slider.
The pitch coming from that high release
and going wide outside...
That’s really hard to hit.
Yeah, definitely not easy.
He swings at the low pitch.
– A weak grounder. – Take it easy, okay.
Second baseman fields it, throws to first.
Out at first.
He throws from a high release point but keeps the pitches low.
That makes it very tricky to hit.
Not sure...
Our 8th and 9th hitters going up against KIM MIN JUN...
I still have faith. Because...
At times like this, you gotta take down the super ace
with the bottom of the lineup, it’ll really rattle him.
– I’m serious. – Yeah, totally.
We don’t have a lot of power hitters.
So let’s shake them with the bottom of the order.
First pitch is out.
It vanishes.
Quick pitch.
It’s hitting 135 km/h.
That’s the exact pitch RHEE DAE EUN taught him.
You can really sense RHEE DAE EUN’s influence.
This guy’s release point is even higher than RHEE DAE EUN’s.
And it still drops like a splitter?
You can’t hit that.
– There’s a reason for this. – Yeah.
How are you supposed to hit that?
Strike.
He’s painting that outside edge with precision.
Even you're seeing it,
– doesn’t KIM MIN JUN look like he’s pitching at a pro level? – Exactly.
There’s something different about him.
Don’t know whether to analyze him like an amateur or a pro.
From a pro perspective...
This time, it’s a fastball.
Clocked at 148 km/h.
Come on, go even higher.
LEE TAE YANG’s got nothing on him.
You can’t be surprised yet, we’re just getting started.
How do you even hit that?
It’s so fast, how could anyone hit it?
He’s averaging in the high 140s.
There’s a reason he’s a first-round pick.
Yeah, now it’s time for a trick play from the tail end of the lineup.
PARK JAE WOOK’s in a tough count. If it’s even close...
He’s got to swing no matter what.
Swing and a miss, strikeout.
Splitter.
He strikes PARK JAE WOOK down like lightning.
– Was that a forkball? – Yeah, fork.
What was that just now?
Forkball. Splitter.
Yeah, definitely looks like what RHEE DAE EUN taught him.
Two outs.
The pitch RHEE DAE EUN showed him.
He just struck out PARK JAE WOOK with that exact pitch.
That drops real fast.
– I was watching and still missed it... – That fork was shocking.
Take a breather.
– I said, rest. – Okay.
SANG WOO, get ready.
– Yup, yup. – Get ready.
LIM SANG WOO is now at bat.
– LimStar! – LimStar!
LimstaGram.
He's a good hitter.
Did KIM JAE HO step up to bat?
– Yeah, he was up earlier. Grounded out three times. – Right, he was up.
– All-Star. – It's an All-Star showdown.
– Just a short one, just a short one. – A little one, a little one.
– Let’s do it, SANG WOO! – Come on, SANG WOO!
It hits the pitcher's glove and falls.
LIM SANG WOO sprints full speed.
He's safe, he's safe!
– Safe! – Hurry, hurry, hurry!
The pitcher picks it up and throws to first—
The pitcher picks it up and throws to first.
– He's safe! – The ball got away!
– Run! Run! – Go! Go!
That's it, LIM SANG WOO makes it to second.
He slides into second standing.
Okay! That’s a hit plus an error.
That’s officially a hit and an error.
– Too late. – Nice! Nice!
Take it easy now.
I slipped a bit.
He never makes mistakes like that.
Yeah, MIN JUN never does this.
It's okay, it's okay.
MIN JUN!
It's alright, now shut it down!
Two outs.
A single can score the run, we could close the gap to one.
– JEONG KEUN WOO is at the plate. – Yep.
First base is open, MIN JUN.
MIN JUN.
– First is open. – Yeah MIN JUN, pitch him carefully.
No, go for it!
Be aggressive, challenge him!
Let’s go! Go after him!
Nice pitch! Great ball.
KIM MIN JUN on the mound, one out left to get.
JEONG KEUN WOO is locked in.
Let’s make something happen, put it in play!
Fastball in, off the end of the bat, popped up high.
That ball’s hanging in the infield.
First baseman catches it.
– 149? – 149, seriously?
That ball’s got some serious pop.
MIN JUN, nice pitch!
– Slow down. – I slipped earlier, sorry.
KIM MIN JUN on the mound...
He shuts down the Flame Fighters' lineup, no runs allowed.
Score remains 3–1, two-run game.
We head to the 6th inning.
– Nice ball. – Keep it straight.
– That one’s got weight. – Heavy pitch.
This could be trouble.
We’re really in trouble today.
But I don’t know why, I’ve felt uneasy all day.
Usually even when we’re behind, I feel like we’ll win.
But this time, I’m not so sure.
That feeling started when KIM MIN JUN came in.
It’s because of him, number 20, that guy.
Bottom of the sixth.
Ace KIM MIN JUN is still on the mound.
First pitch coming.
– Fastball, right? – For sure, just hit a good pitch.
And now the control...
His control is rock solid.
His stuff is nasty.
Don’t just stick your bat out when it’s breaking stuff.
– Right? You’ve got to swing at it. – With more confidence!
– GYO WON, you need to get on base. – Yes, lead off.
Let’s get on base, GYO WON.
MUN GYO WON steps into the box.
GYO WON, let's get on base here.
Strike.
– Strike. – Strike, right down the middle.
He only throws the forkball when he’s ahead.
If you’re down and it’s a fastball, swing at it!
Here comes a falling pitch.
– Nice fork. – That’s the Jo Jung-hoon style forkball.
Hey, lift it, lift it, lift it.
Hit it up early in the count.
Since he missed the last one,
he got fooled by the drop.
That opens up his whole arsenal.
He can throw another one now.
– He’s pitching well. – We need a base runner.
Close it out, finish him.
Shut it down, MIN JUN!
He makes contact!
It’s a grounder.
It goes toward third.
Throw to first.
A strong throw—
– Safe! – First baseman dropped it!
Okay!
– Stop! Stop! – Hold up! Hold up!
– Okay! – Alright, alright!
That’s what I’m talking about.
This is what we need, disrupt the opponent’s rhythm.
– That’s how you create chances. – Yeah.
MIN SANG HOON’s footing was off, and
the leadoff batter MUN GYO WON reaches first.
Now this means
the leadoff gets on via error.
Keep your eyes up.
Focus on timing.
– Good work out there! – Okay, nice job!
Let’s go for a double!
PARK YONG TAIK is at bat.
Looks like he might rip that forkball.
Nah, he might have a hard time with that forkball.
Even PARK YONG TAIK might struggle.
If he doesn’t get a hit here, his batting average could drop back to the .100s.
Throw to first.
That’s fast.
– Good pickoff move! – Quick throw to first.
They say his PFP is solid too.
That pickoff move...
It’s just too fast.
Gotta be careful with that.
Those kinds of pickoffs are dangerous.
He doesn’t feel like an amateur at all.
He feels like a fully polished pitcher.
If the runner loses focus, that’s trouble.
Can’t afford to lose focus.
Another pickoff attempt.
Right now, the timing...
That was risky for the runner.
He’ll have to shorten his lead.
Don’t push it too hard, GYO WON.
No outs, remember that.
– Think about scoring. – GYO WON.
Our captain’s gonna do it.
– Give us that hit, hit it, HIT TAIK! – Please.
He swings.
Contact!
– No, please! – Please, please!
Second baseman fields it,
tosses to short, and on to first.
Double play at first!
Okay, okay.
Alright.
A 4-6-3 double play wipes away all the previous errors.
Things just aren’t going our way.
That was fast.
We’re hitting into too many double plays.
Right.
Might as well be staying at Busan Station.
Yeah, I’ve got to give this pitcher some praise.
Because after freezing the runner with perfect pickoffs,
he rolls up a double play.
That’s professional-level stuff.
We might be watching the most polished pitcher here.
Pitcher KIM MIN JUN.
– Seriously, please. – Just hold it for one.
Hello there.
Move back, all the way.
The outfielders are all tense right now.
A pitcher projected to go in the first round of the KBO Draft
and the legendary cleanup hitter from Joseon,
the two are ready for the showdown.
Let’s get him, MIN JUN!
With confidence!
Let’s see whose power wins.
– What’s the velocity gonna be? – Jam him inside!
Hit a home run, please!
One sign exchange.
Will LEE DAE HO come through with a bomb?
– Yes. – Can he do it?
Swings at the very first pitch.
The ball is flying out to the outfield!
Swings at the very first pitch. The ball is flying out to the outfield!
Driving it to the outfield.
But the catch is made.
Okay, okay.
– 149, 149. – That was 149 km/h.
– What? – 149.
He threw even harder because I stepped up.
He hit 149.
– That’ll be their locker room story forever. – Huh?
A once-in-a-lifetime joke. They won’t let that go.
The Flame Fighters’ offense.
KIM MIN JUN retires all three batters.
We now head to the late stages, bottom of the 7th.
The score is 3 to 1.
This is an emergency.
Aren’t we gonna get at least one offensive spark?
It’ll come, at least once.
Now it’s the bottom of the 7th inning.
KIM MIN JUN still on the mound.
Since scoring in the 1st inning,
from the 2nd through the 6th,
we haven’t managed a single run.
It's not just the lack of runs,
we haven’t even had real scoring chances.
– That’s right, and now... – Yeah.
We’re facing a top-tier pitcher.
We’ve got to approach this
like we’re facing a pro.
– Play in. – Hello again.
All we need is to create a situation.
Let’s go, EUI YOON! Get on base!
– Get on base! Get on base! Get on base! – Just get on base!
We gotta go now, no hesitation.
We just need one chance, one!
With JUNG EUI YOON’s power,
there’s hope he might make something happen.
Pulled the ball,
foul down the third base line.
Foul ball down the third base line.
From our side, we’re hoping for a power shot,
but he's playing this way too smart.
Annoyingly clever, right?
That’s what you call a professional.
Nice pitch.
Alright, quit joking around,
just get on base already.
He makes contact,
a high fly ball.
And catcher LEE JAE JUN catches it.
Ah, shoot.
– Look at that pitch count. – He’s managing it himself.
They say his stamina is great.
Look at those thighs.
His lower body is solid.
And what’s scarier, they’re letting him throw up to 80 pitches today.
I know Manager SON personally,
why’s he doing this to us?
Now stepping up to bat, JEONG SEONG HOON.
All we need is him to get on base.
Just get a runner on.
Our 1st through 5th hitters
have all been retired.
Can our 6th hitter, JEONG SEONG HOON, finally get on base?
Swings at the first pitch.
Nasty one. You can’t hit that.
That forkball is wicked, right?
– Unbelievable... it’s insane. – Really?
The ball just
whoosh! Dives right at the end.
Seriously.
You can’t even sit on a pitch now.
That low pitch, he was way off with the bat.
– He’s dictating the at-bats like a pro pitcher would. – Yeah.
That’s not a ball you see from amateur pitchers.
Second pitch.
It’s a foul, strike two.
He couldn’t time either of those first two pitches.
You know what’s coming now?
– A fastball? – Yep.
How do you even know?
Hey, you gotta leave a room for me, you know.
This pitcher is seriously ruthless.
Another sign from the catcher.
No balls, two strikes, JEONG SEONG HOON is in a tough count.
Pitcher KIM MIN JUN winds up.
He gets a piece of it off the end of the bat.
– Okay, okay. – Nice.
– He’s hanging in there, good job. – Nice cut, nice cut.
He’s doing great.
That pitch was 148 kilometers per hour.
And he still managed to follow it.
Let’s go, MIN JUN!
Another foul tip, he’s staying alive.
Still at 148 km/h.
– Looks like SEONG HOON’s fired up now. – Yeah.
Great!
He’s really holding his own.
Now it’s the fifth pitch of the at-bat.
And he fouls it off again.
Let’s go!
This is intense.
Stick with it, stay on it.
Give him a good one, good one, good one.
– Another foul ball. – This is such a fun battle to watch.
Really exciting showdown.
That’s four straight foul balls after two strikes.
We really need a baserunner here.
– He’s gotta be tenacious, keep fighting. – Yeah.
Don’t overthink it.
If you’ve got strength, use it now.
Signs exchanged.
Seventh pitch of the at-bat coming up.
– High pitch. – Swing, swing.
Check if he went around.
They didn’t call it.
Didn’t even halfway go around!
He held up!
He just managed to check it.
Just in time.
JEONG SEONG HOON was probably at the plate for a good 10 minutes, right?
He's made the pitcher throw 7 pitches, now it’s the 8th pitch.
It’s a high pitch.
It goes up high.
Now it’s a full count.
No room to spare on either strikes or balls now.
Tenth pitch of the at-bat, full count.
The pitcher might feel the pressure now.
It’s outside the zone and the bat doesn’t follow.
That’s a walk!
He should be pulled now, seriously.
A genius batter vs a top-ranked prospect, it’s a true showdown.
And the result is...
He lays off the sinking pitch.
Great discipline, great eye.
– Pure eye baseball, pure vision. – That was a great take.
100% eye baseball.
Okay.
Well done.
This battle goes to the genius hitter.
With one out, he gets on base.
That’s the kind of thing that drains a pitcher.
He worked his way to first base.
Great batting eye.
He’s clearly committed to not swinging at low stuff, even if it means striking out.
That’s what separates someone with 2,000 hits!
I'm completely worn out now.
– Good work. – Sure.
– I can barely stand. – One out, runner on first.
One out.
Now it's LEE TAEK KEUN at bat.
He faces KIM MIN JUN for the second time.
Now, if LEE TAEK KEUN...
Are we about to see an MVP-style home run?
TAEK KEUN might just smack one here.
He’s got the quickest swing.
One more hit here could change the whole game.
That’s how we’ve been winning all along.
Just connect with one pitch, just one.
Tag it on one-two.
He swings at the very first pitch.
Bang! That’s it!
He swings at the very first pitch, it’s a solid single.
That's it.
Nice hit!
Looking good, looking good.
LEE TAEK KEUN’s single puts the tying run on base now.
That’s a multi-hit game today for LEE TAEK KEUN.
Nice!
Okay, okay.
Please...
We’re in it, we’re really in it now.
– This is a huge opportunity. – Yep.
Thanks to JEONG SEONG HOON’s walk and LEE TAEK KEUN’s single.
We’ve got ourselves a real chance now.
The tying run is now on first base.
Time! Time! Time!
Isn’t that Manager SON KYUNG HO heading out?
Yeah, he’s heading to the mound.
Is it a substitution?
Nope.
He's making a change.
– No, no, he's just telling him to calm down. – Really?
You think he’d take him out?
– Why you gotta make it so complicated? – Yes?
– Why overthink this? – Not at all.
There’s no stealing or anything happening.
Stay calm.
– Get your full leg kick and throw. – Yes, sir.
– Don’t overdo the pick-offs. – Okay.
– No free bases. – Understood.
– Be careful with the low ones. – Yes.
– If it skips to the side, don’t give them a free base. – Got it.
– You got it? Okay. – Yes.
Let’s get back on track. Trust your ball and throw a good one.
– We’ve still got a pinch hitter available in PARK JAE WOOK. – Right.
There’s a bit of faith in guys like KIM MIN BEOM.
There’s KIM MIN BEOM.
– KANG DONG WOO is solid too. – It does feel like it’s time for us to play a pinch hitter.
There’s no one left to sub in.
Let’s not overdo it. Just take it one step at a time.
Will we see a pinch hitter from our side?
– Alright, PARK JAE WOOK is stepping in as is. – They’re just letting him bat.
Because we haven’t been able to hit.
– And PARK JAE WOOK is having a rough day today. – Yeah.
Still, one good stat for PARK JAE WOOK this season is
he’s been strong in scoring position this season.
– He’s batting .364 with 4 hits in 11 at-bats. – That’s solid. Let’s go.
We might not get a better opportunity than this.
– We might not, which is why... – Right.
We have to seize this chance. No excuses.
We never know when we’ll get another chance like this. The tying runner is already on.
This might be our last shot.
JAE WOOK performs well under pressure.
– Let’s go, JAE WOOK! – You got this, JAE WOOK!
Something’s gonna happen with JAE WOOK. If it goes up, they won’t catch it.
Exactly.
JAE WOOK, one good swing!
Hey JAE WOOK, let’s make it count!
PARK JAE WOOK, hitless in two at-bats today, steps up to the plate.
Strike.
It came inside.
Good pitch.
You gotta expect the curveball, manager went up there, it's clear.
Count is 0-1.
– Foul ball. – Nice.
Another breaking ball, just barely nicked it, foul.
– If he keeps throwing like that... – Yeah, exactly.
It’s just forkball after forkball.
Right now, in this one moment...
The pitcher has some margin for error here.
But PARK JAE WOOK has none.
That’s right.
JAE WOOK, just one solid swing.
JAE WOOK, bloop it in there, just one!
JAE WOOK’s got something he’s good at. He’s got this.
Bat breaks, right above shortstop!
Come on, JAE WOOK!
Just tap it through! Push it!
Look how it drops.
– Bringing similar stuff... – Just make soft contact, soft.
This is driving me crazy.
We might not get another chance like this.
Same situation.
That’s a strikeout pitch.
Signs exchanged and done.
This is a must-convert moment in today’s game.
This opportunity may never come back.
He makes contact!
– He makes contact! – It’s good!
Yes!
Drops cleanly in left-center!
Yes! That’s it!
Go! Run! Run!
That’s a breakout hit.
Runner from second rounds third and scores.
Three!
Now running to third!
Throw goes to third.
At third...
Go, go, go, go, go!
At third base.
Slides in!
The batter makes it to second, PARK JAE WOOK with a clutch RBI hit!
He was great yesterday, I gave him some tips, and he nailed it.
PARK JAE WOOK!
Nice batting!
JAE WOOK!
Call it out, call it out!
– Hey hey hey, nice batting! – I nearly died out there.
You’re fine.
– Okay. – That was great, huh?
– You come through when it counts. – Huh?
When it’s time, you deliver.
Feeling good?
JAE WOOK! JAE WOOK!
JAE WOOK.
Nice batting.
PARK JAE WOOK.
JAE WOOK.
Nice job on that dropping splitter.
– That was a splitter? – Yeah.
Didn’t break all the way.
Caught it from underneath.
MIN JUN.
It’s okay MIN JUN, just take it one pitch at a time.
Yeah, we thought this inning would be tough.
But JEONG SEONG HOON battled and got on base.
Then LEE TAEK KEUN’s single.
And manager KIM SUNG KUN kept trusting PARK JAE WOOK.
– That belief led to this valuable result. – Yes.
He grounded into a double play and struck out earlier today.
Not a good showing from PARK JAE WOOK until now.
Third at-bat.
And finally, he delivers the RBI hit.
When no one believed in him, PARK JAE WOOK
showed exactly why trust matters with that hit.
Now it’s 3-2, just a one-run game.
Insane, just insane!
Alright!
Get him an IV drip, an IV drip!
– Good job out there. – Seriously.
I had no strength left in my legs at the plate.
Okay okay okay, well done.
It was all thanks to you.
– He’s seriously the real MVP. – SEONG HOON is the MVP, for real.
My legs...
– Just one more hit, and we’ll take the lead. – Right.
Now LIM SANG WOO is at the plate.
Yes, LIM SANG WOO has to do it.
Hey, infield in?
Let’s pull the infield in.
Coach, coach!
Come in closer, closer, move in more!
Daegu High School is pulling the infield in.
– They’re hoping for a grounder. – Exactly.
LIM SANG WOO needs to send a sharp ball to the outfield here.
First pitch is a ball.
It all started with JEONG SEONG HOON’s
drawn-out at-bat and walk.
Now KIM MIN JUN is looking shaken on the mound.
– He’s been off since then. – Yep.
Okay.
I can see it.
Just don’t fall for this pitch, that’s all.
He’s definitely going to throw it now, for sure.
Second pitch, he swings.
Good, good, good.
– Was that a slider? – Splitter.
That was a splitter, right?
Nice.
Throw that curveball right at your head, man.
LIM SANG WOO needs to think now.
He’s headed to the pros.
There are even more advanced breaking balls than this out there, so...
He needs to find and show his own swing.
The count is one and one.
Make contact, contact, contact, contact!
Contact play, go for contact!
If you want to go pro, you have to make contact.
You’ve got to hit if you want to make it.
SANG WOO, set your level, focus on the height.
Let’s go, MIN JUN!
Ground ball!
Foul ball toward first.
Okay, okay, timing was good.
You just need to hit it clean.
One-two count.
– Got a piece of it. – Look where it hit, look where it hit!
That could’ve been dangerous, but he managed to foul it off.
Looks like he’s aiming for a fly ball.
Daegu High School has the infield playing in.
PARK JAE WOOK is
taking a big lead, almost any hit and he can score.
Even for PARK JAE WOOK...
With a lead that big, he can make it home.
Let’s watch how this plays out.
Shall we? Let’s not jump to conclusions.
Let’s keep an eye on the situation.
Hey, you think JAE WOOK can make it in from there?
If he can’t score from there, that’s just embarrassing.
If it’s hit, you're running no matter what.
Okay, okay.
– Even a fly ball can bring him in. – Absolutely.
LimStar!
– Show us something! – SANG WOO, it’s your time!
You are LimStar!
Show that star quality!
– Show it! – Show it now, take the swing!
You young ones, you make it happen, come on!
Aren’t you guys always the ones doing it anyway?
Don’t rely on the old guys!
Come on, SANG WOO.
Swing with confidence, don’t hold back.
LIM SANG WOO is in a tough count.
Can LIM SANG WOO pull off the go-ahead hit?
He swings, toward center field!
It's a base hit!
– It's a hit! – LIM SANG WOO!
Okay!
– Rounding the bases! – Scores, the game is tied!
– And the runner from second is headed home! – Round it, go, go!
Home! Home! Home!
The throw goes to home.
Back, back, back!
The runner from second heads to third.
He stops at third base.
Either way, that’s an RBI single to tie the game by LIM SANG WOO.
What a star.
A true star.
– You’re a star, SANG WOO. – We admit it, for real.
I knew you’d come through.
I was confident too.
– But that one forkball surprised me. – Really?
LIM SANG WOO shows up at the plate, his first RBI of the season.
The Flame Fighters finally bring the game back to even.
Nice hit.
We thought this would be a tough game because
– a pitcher like that was on the mound. – Right!
But the veterans started the rally, PARK JAE WOOK followed through
and LimStar
– finished the job! – Exactly.
LIM SANG WOO with the game-tying RBI hit.
He brought in LEE TAEK KEUN from third base.
The hit was too shallow for PARK JAE WOOK to score.
Unbelievable, that’s how it is.
You can’t make a jump like that?
You gotta go in.
I wouldn’t have made it anyway.
It’s not your fault, the outfielder's got a strong arm.
Nice hit.
We’re not a team that goes down easy.
Nice batting, LEE TAEK KEUN!
We’re no easy team!
Okay!
A .300 hitter.
– You really hit it well. – Good, good, good.
I set up TAEK KEUN’s hit.
My legs hurt.
My legs are done.
We’re zombies, we keep coming back.
Let's crush it.
Here we go.
And now, it's JEONG KEUN WOO at bat.
– With runners on first and third, we can easily take the lead, especially with JEONG KEUN WOO up. – Absolutely.
If the ball’s hit, you're running no matter what.
– Yes! Yes! – Huh?
With most grounders, PARK JAE WOOK can’t score from third.
So the ball has to go to the outfield.
Stone Devil! Don’t get jammed!
Don’t get jammed!
Let’s get him, let’s get him.
His bat moves weakly through the zone.
That’s fine, he was just sitting on a fastball and took a swing.
– Now JEONG KEUN WOO has to adjust his swing. – Right.
Please don’t let them take the lead.
Please.
You can do it, you can do it.
Second pitch, just grazes the bat.
It’s a foul.
– Okay, okay. – He’s late, he’s late.
Please, please.
This chance can’t go to the next batter.
– JEONG KEUN WOO needs to finish this in a relaxed state, right now. – Exactly.
– He absolutely can’t strike out here. – No way, no way.
KEUN WOO, think, focus, focus.
– Let’s go, Stone Devil! – Hit it to the outfield!
We can stop them, seriously.
Count is 0–2 for JEONG KEUN WOO.
JEONG KEUN WOO swings and misses.
Go, go, go, go, go, go!
Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop!
And during all that, the runner from first takes second base.
LIM SANG WOO now stands on second base.
He’s taken the bag.
Stone Devil is trembling.
Stone Devil is shaking.
Okay.
– Two outs. – Just one more, let’s get one more out.
Yes, they allowed the tie,
but they haven’t let us take the lead.
They got the leadoff batter out.
Just one out to go.
Now there are two runners in scoring position.
At the plate, MUN GYO WON.
Earlier today, in his first three at-bats,
whenever he put the ball in play,
it was like the baseball gods gave him a little help.
– The defense committed two errors against him. – Yes, and we need that kind of luck again here.
He’s the error magnet, we’ll take another one right now.
With a 3–3 tie, what will be the outcome?
The ball bounces,
MUN GYO WON walks to first.
GYO WON’s got good instincts today, really good.
– The picture’s set, we’ve got the setup now. – Love it, love it.
Now this is really it!
And just like that,
it’s bases loaded with two outs.
You’ve got to admire these Flame Fighters players.
– I applaud them, battling through the heat... – Yes.
The veterans step up
and the younger players add their strength. Now
a chance for back-to-back MVP performances
– has come to the captain. – That’s right.
Keep your eyes up.
Swing with confidence.
He hasn’t recorded a hit in his previous three at-bats today,
his average has now dipped into the .100s.
It’s PARK YONG TAIK at the plate.
Everything has been building up to this moment.
– It’s the narrative arc, he’s the star! – Exactly.
– All of this was meant to happen. – Park Star!
YONG TAIK has the best RBIs and average.
– Is it 8 RBIs? – No, 6 hits.
He keeps getting clutch opportunities.
Last time, he hit a 3-run triple.
Six hits, eight RBIs.
In the previous game, with the bases loaded,
PARK YONG TAIK cleared the bases with a 3-run triple.
– We’re desperately hoping for the same here. – Yes.
PARK JAE WOOK on third.
LIM SANG WOO on second, MUN GYO WON on first.
One base hit and this game swings in our favor.
This is the most critical moment of today’s game.
PARK YONG TAIK once again faces KIM MIN JUN.
– First pitch is a ball. – Okay, that’s it, that’s it.
It might be a walk-off walk here.
– Let’s go, Captain. – Only swing at good ones, only the good ones.
I can’t be the one to mess this up.
MIN JUN, take it slow, be deliberate.
You can do it, you can do it.
– Gotta stop them. – Just hold them, that’s all.
Let’s go, MIN JUN!
Outside pitch, goes wide.
Why, why?
It’s out, it’s out, it’s out!
Now he has to go in, there’s no choice.
– Please don’t get greedy here, don’t force it. – YONG TAIK will definitely swing.
Please, don’t go overboard.
YONG TAIK is going to swing no matter what.
Even if you're greedy, just hit it!
Please hit it.
Here it comes.
He swings, it’s a high pop-up.
Catch it.
The catcher turns.
The hang time is long, it goes behind the infield.
Faster, faster, faster!
Fielders are pressing, the bat's coming around again.
Contact, contact, contact!
MIN JUN, trust yourself and throw.
Hit it when it matters.
He drives it, foul ball.
From two balls to a 2-2 count now.
– Forkball. – The forkball drops back.
Can’t swing at pitches that hit the dirt.
That’s right.
After two straight four-seamers,
it’s going to be a battle of splitters now.
The sign exchange is complete.
PARK YONG TAIK has to be ready for the drop pitch.
Please, please, please.
Take the low one and lift it!
Please, this needs to be stopped, it must be.
In the most critical moment of the game, the Captain faces KIM MIN JUN.
Strike.
It’s in.
Okay.
That was high.
That’s not right.
Way too high.
Okay, okay.
Bases left loaded.
The Flame Fighters’ offense ends with the score tied.
Tied 3–3 as we head into the 8th inning.
– Wasn’t that one a bit high? – The earlier pitch was even higher.
Still, at least we tied it.
Thank goodness.
– A tie is a big deal. – Seriously, how big is this tie?
– That was a tough hold. – Let’s squeeze out just one run now, just one, got it?
– Let’s go, let’s go. – One run, one run.
– It’s a fresh start now, a fresh start. – Gotta hit, gotta hit.
Be bold.
Defense, defense, defense.
If we hold them here, we win.
Now it’s the top of the 8th inning, and Daegu High has allowed the tying run.
Let’s see if the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th hitters in the lineup can produce results.
If we stop them here, we win. Just hold them.
That’s RHEE DAE EUN, who pitched all-out in this scorching weather.
As you keep expressing concern,
- RHEE DAE EUN is clearly exhausted right now. - That’s right.
This batting order can definitely pose a big threat to us too.
- Yes. - Yes.
It goes from OH SEUNG JAE to LEE JI BAEK to BAE DA SEUNG.
Let’s pick up the energy now.
Time to fire up the momentum.
- These students just don’t get tired. - Seriously, I mean right now...
Even our commentary booth is boiling hot.
But the first pitch is a strike.
Okay, okay, okay, okay!
DAE EUN, stay strong, stay strong.
Great pitch, great pitch.
- Swing. - Missed swing.
He's now in a favorable count.
These are tough pitches to hit.
- But doesn’t that pitch just slip by? - Nope, it doesn’t catch.
I mean, the angle is insane.
You should go up front too.
- Even with a closed stance, - He was leaning in and expecting a fastball.
- Yeah. - But he didn’t throw the fastball.
Right, it threw you off, and you swung and missed.
It’s weird that even that didn’t catch.
It drops one more time.
Strike three, strikeout!
That’s RHEE DAE EUN’s fifth strikeout of the game.
Okay!
That pitch is too good!
- Nice pitch. - Wish we hadn’t let them tie the game.
We can't hit RHEE DAE EUN’s pitches seriously.
- The ball? - So good.
- Even while tired, he’s pitching smart. - Yes.
This is what pitch-savvy looks like.
- JAE YOUNG, see how he's better when he throws relaxed? - Yeah.
He pitches better without forcing it.
Tap-tap.
It’s pulled!
Pulled to the third baseman!
No, no, no!
Got it.
To first base.
Safe at first!
Safe! Yes!
LEE JI BAEK reaches first base on an error.
The drop slowed the play.
He’s got speed.
SEONG HOON, you can’t be making errors like that.
- This is the worst-case scenario for us. - Yeah.
That should’ve been an easy out.
Earlier, they made an error and we tied it.
- True. - We need to be careful.
A runner is on after one out.
Two outs!
Let’s get two! Let’s get two!
- Two outs, two outs! - Let’s turn two!
The number four batter, BAE DA SEUNG, is up.
Watch the pick-off! Stay tight!
LEE JI BAEK has 8 stolen bases this season, he can definitely run.
Pick-off to first.
That was fast, pick-off is fast.
Another pick-off to first.
- Okay, okay. - Good job, DAE EUN! You’re doing great!
Good, by keeping the pressure on, he's shortened the lead.
- Let’s get a grounder! A grounder! - Yeah.
Ideally, it should go to LIM SANG WOO.
EUI YOON, GYO WON!
- Backup needs to come quickly! Backup! - Yes.
Backup.
It’s a battle of defense now. A defensive game.
He took off and then slipped.
- Swing! - It’s pushed the other way.
Okay!
He’s safe, he’s safe!
Throw goes to second.
The throw from the second baseman is off the mark.
This time PARK JAE WOOK couldn’t make the throw in one go, the ball was misfired.
There was a little stumble in the footwork there.
- The footwork was off, and so was the throw, so he couldn’t get the ball off cleanly. - Exactly.
Now there's a runner in scoring position.
- That just raises the anxiety level. - Yes.
Everyone’s exhausted, RHEE DAE EUN is worn out, and so are the fielders.
We know that, but...
- This is when we need even more focus from the players. - That’s right.
Let’s move up, SOO HYUN!
Move up, move up, move up!
What’s going on now? The tension again...
Why is everyone suddenly shifting forward again?
Take it one at a time.
The sun may have set, but the heat on the field hasn’t cooled down.
Can RHEE DAE EUN finish this with two outs left?
He pulled it!
It’s short.
Straight to first!
No, no!
- It’s short. - Caught by LEE DAE HO at first base!
Okay!
- Victory fairy, victory fairy! - He really catches everything.
Spider hands, spider hands!
That was a tough catch.
Even JEONG SEONG HOON held the runner at second there.
He planted and threw.
In the end, he kept the runner at second.
The throw was a bit short, but LEE DAE HO made the play.
- DAE HO, we're counting on you. - DAE HO! Let's go!
- Nice, nice! - Nice, nice!
- As expected! - Looking good, looking good!
Feeling dizzy...
Too tired to run...
He really can’t run anymore.
Honestly, skill-wise we can beat the students...
- But our biggest enemies are age and the heat. - That’s right.
And that’s exactly what’s starting to show now.
We’re all feeling it, just exhausted.
Everyone knows.
But still, until that final out,
we need to stay focused.
He’s hit for the cycle twice, you know.
Batter is LEE JAE JUN.
I think we need to be careful with LEE JAE JUN in this second showdown.
Because his swing is incredibly compact.
Out front...
- Out front... - Hand!
Nice block! He stays put.
- Nice catch. - Nice! Nice! Nice!
- Okay. - Great catch.
Let’s switch the ball.
Nice job, JAE WOOK.
Let’s raise the energy, keep it up.
Clap, clap, clap!
Count is two balls.
Time out.
You've lost strength.
- It’s okay, it’s okay. - Stay sharp.
Loosen up, relax.
- Honestly, I just came up to let you breathe. - It’s fine, bases are open.
- It’s okay, we’ve got a base open. - Let’s take it carefully.
Let’s just walk him and move on.
- Yeah, that’s probably best. We can do that. - That’s the better move.
We can do that. Let’s play it safe.
- Don’t press too hard. - Go carefully.
We’ve got two outs.
PARK JAE WOOK
has come up to help settle things down.
- Right now, JEONG SEONG HOON might be experiencing dizziness. - Yeah.
He keeps showing signs of dizziness.
In this situation, we absolutely can’t allow a grounder to third.
The outfielders need to be ready.
Get the outfield set right now.
Hey, move up! Get in front!
Come here, come this way.
If it comes here, it’s over.
Self-talk.
Right now, half-hearted strikes are dangerous.
- Yeah, we should go for an intentional walk. - You’re right.
Intentional walk is better.
Walk him.
Shall we walk him?
Walk him!
We’ll walk him and move on!
- Okay, intentional walk to first. - Intentional walk.
- Yes.
Then...
They intentionally walk LEE JAE JUN. Now it’s two outs with runners on second and first.
Two outs, let's focus just on this batter.
Take it slow.
Keep it close.
The heat from the field is dragging down our Flame Fighters.
The team is getting heavier with fatigue.
Can they finish this inning without giving up a run?
Hang in there, hang in there.
- Okay, okay. - Let’s go, let’s go!
Okay, okay!
JU WON, JU WON!
Don’t hit it right down the middle.
Keep the ball low, down low.
Well, he’ll probably send it flying past the stands.
We had been keeping KIM JU WON under control pretty well.
Here, the first pitch really needs to be in the strike zone.
– That was a good stop. – Yes, good stop.
Honestly, this just shows that RHEE DAE EUN is running out of energy.
Nice catch, nice catch.
No! No! No!
– Nice glove work. – Okay, nice catch.
Nice catch, nice catch.
– Nice catch, nice catch. – Okay, here, JAE WOOK.
– Time, time. – Time, time.
Manager KIM SUNG KUN heads to the mound.
He looks really worn out.
He must be completely drained.
– Easy, easy. I can stop him. – Easy?
– You okay? – Yes.
– I’m trusting you with this. – Yes.
– Stay relaxed. Don’t force it, got it? – Got it. Yes, yes.
Okay, go.
– Let’s go. – Let’s do it.
They’re sticking with RHEE DAE EUN for now.
You're so out of gas, what can you do?
– Want a little more power? Okay. – Just a little.
Yeah, aim for the middle.
– Blondie, let’s go, fighting! – Okay.
Let’s go.
Let’s go. Fielders, let’s stop this one.
SHIN JAE YOUNG is starting to warm up now.
But SHIN JAE YOUNG can’t come in just yet.
That means RHEE DAE EUN has to finish this inning.
This is the most dangerous moment right now.
He needs to be careful with this pitch.
Power up.
Boom! There it goes!
Got it.
He connects on the second pitch, a base hit between first and second.
Go! Go! Go!
The runner from second rounds third.
Home! Home!
The throw goes home.
Get him! Get him!
At home, at home!
Tag!
At home! At home!
Safe at home.
Okay.
Out!
Please review the video! Please do a video review!
A video review has just been requested.
Looked like his hand touched.
– Why? – I’m not sure.
Well, the ball did get there first.
If he didn’t touch the base, he’s out.
– If he touched the base, he might be safe. – The base touch is the key.
– They’re checking whether his hand was on the base. – That could be.
It looks like he’s safe, but we’ll see.
We’ll only know when the call comes out.
Was that okay?
It must’ve been okay, otherwise the timing wouldn’t have been like that.
– You've really improved a lot. – Yes.
RHEE DAE EUN didn’t have much power, so the ball floated in.
He perfectly hit that four-seamer.
He pushed it and earned the RBI.
MUN GYO WON also fielded it quickly and made a perfect one-step throw.
That was a great throw.
He swiped first.
The original call stands, safe. Daegu High regains the lead.
Score is now 4–3, and the game tilts back toward Daegu.
Already coming out?
Stop them right here.
Go, it's safe.
Two outs, such a shame.
Even after the intentional walk...
Ever since RHEE DAE EUN returned to the mound after the tie,
– that error showed how tired we’d become. – Yes.
And the result, tireless student baseball...
It’s truly textbook.
– It’s turned into a powerful performance. – It really has.
Also, Manager SON KYUNG HO said, “KIM JU WON is the key today.”
– He said that before the game. – Right, right.
In the end, in the late moments of this game,
– he’s playing that key role. – Absolutely.
Two outs, runners on second and first.
The Flame Fighters are still in trouble.
Hold them to just one run.
At bat now is KI HYUN.
It’s a grounder, LEE DAE HO fields it.
He steps on the base himself, that’s the third out.
But the Flame Fighters have given up another run.
Score is 4–3.
Daegu High takes the lead again.
– We’re in big trouble now. – Yeah, seriously.
SEONG HOON is in real trouble.
We swapped out JAE HO too early, right?
– It’s heartbreaking to watch. – I know.
Still, he pulled through.
Is KIM MIN JUN staying in? No, right?
He’s going.
– MIN JUN, okay. – I’ll shut it down.
Here we go, DAE HO, let’s go, let’s go!
– I’m not swinging at the first pitch, I’ll swing after a strike. – Okay, okay, okay.
It’s the bottom of the 8th, Flame Fighters are at bat now.
LEE DAE HO is the leadoff hitter.
Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go.
– Now’s the time. – This is huge.
KI HYUN is out.
They’re making a defensive substitution.
KIM DAE WOOK is coming into the outfield.
KANG JUNG GYEOM, who was playing center field, is moving to right.
They’re taking out KI HYUN.
Now they’re clearly playing to protect that one-run lead.
This is when you need to hit the ball that way.
– Seriously, it needs to go. – Go for it.
And honestly, this place...
Ulsan Baseball Stadium's
outfield isn’t short.
Both left and right sides are over 100 meters.
– It’s massive. – Yeah.
LEE DAE HO is really showing strong mental focus, leading this game.
The leadoff hitter’s role is crucial now.
Let’s go.
Get it, get it, get it!
Let’s stop them!
– Strike. – Right into the target.
Okay.
Now’s the swing, now, now!
DAE HO said he’d swing after one strike.
DAE HO needs to battle it out.
It’s a high deep fly ball to left.
– It’s gone! It’s over! – Yes!
Please.
– It’s out of here. – Go, go!
A high, deep fly ball headed left.
This ball’s to the wall...
– It’s caught. – It falls just short.
It hit just in front of the wall.
The ballpark is way too big.
He’s out.
– The ball stopped right there. – Told you earlier, this stadium’s the biggest.
LEE DAE HO’s hit couldn’t clear this vast Ulsan field.
In the end, it was caught
by left fielder OH SEUNG JAE.
KIM MIN JUN.
It’s going far.
– Doesn’t DAEGU High have an out-of-park area? – No, it’s an out.
He just went for it with brute strength.
I thought it was gone, but...
It kept going and going.
– That was a monster shot. – That’s the edge of the field.
If it had gone that way, it would’ve cleared the wall.
– This stadium is way too big. – Nice hitting, nice hitting.
– If this were Mokdong Stadium, it would’ve been a home run. – For sure, over the wall at Mokdong.
This is definitely going in the highlight reel.
Right after he made contact,
It went, it went.
We even said it was gone.
Now at bat, JUNG EUI YOON.
– JUNG EUI YOON should swing for the fences here. – Yes.
He’s showing he can do it right now.
He’s our best batter in this situation.
That’s why
– he needs to produce a big hit. – Absolutely.
EUI YOON needs to hit one out.
Please.
JUNG EUI YOON, hit a home run today.
He swings at a fastball, it’s heading to left-center.
– It’s a hit! – Drop, drop, drop!
– In front. – In front!
The left fielder is chasing it down.
– Center fielder too. – They couldn’t catch it.
Second!
Yes! Second base! He’s on second!
No, no, no!
He can’t make it to second base.
– Okay, you alright? – Couldn’t go, right?
– Can’t go, can’t go, can’t go.
– You okay? – Yeah.
– Okay. – Okay, okay.
If you don’t celebrate, you get fined.
– I’m counting on you. – Good job.
Alright, the tying runner is on base, and next at bat is JEONG SEONG HOON.
He’s really exhausted.
JEONG SEONG HOON steps up to the plate at this crucial moment.
Please, keep it going.
– Strike. – Right over the plate.
– That was a breaking ball. – Yes.
Okay, okay, okay.
He let the first pitch go on purpose.
Now it’s time to swing.
You know that soft push when you get a hit? That’s what he needs now.
He doesn’t have the strength to pull the ball right now.
If they can take the lead here,
they just need to defend in the top of the 9th to end it.
SEONG HOON, please crush one out of the park.
Now, will JEONG SEONG HOON
become the ultimate connection?
He made contact!
It drops right in front of the center fielder.
Go, go, go, go, go!
Yes!
No, no, no, no!
Again with this...
Back-to-back hits from the bottom of the order.
He doesn’t have the power to pull, this is exactly how he needs to hit.
Okay.
What kind of bloop was that?
How is that even a hit?
Just like you said, he poked it out there.
A soft push from JEONG SEONG HOON.
– A technical hit. – Isn’t that what you guys meant by endpiece?
He’s showing the true art of the endpiece.
Exactly.
That’s impressive.
– Nice batting, sir. – What’s so nice about it, damn it.
Nice batting.
– Take it easy on us. – You’re the ones who should go easy.
You damn punks.
JEONG SEONG HOON, nearly collapsing, manages to reach base with a hit.
Now the tying run is on second, go-ahead run on first.
Who's on base?
The runners?
Who's playing now?
Should we send KANG DONG WOO as a pinch runner? At first base?
Is the guy fast?
Yes, DONG WOO is fast.
DONG WOO runs well.
Shall we switch?
Time, time. DONG WOO, DONG WOO.
They're substituting JUNG EUI YOON now.
Runner substitution.
They're switching to KANG DONG WOO.
So compared to JUNG EUI YOON...
They’re using the faster runner, KANG DONG WOO
as the runner on second base.
Now, it's up to LEE TAEK KEUN.
Yes, he has multiple hits today.
We have to go, a hit here means
– he'll be the MVP. – Yes.
LEE TAEK KEUN has had the best hitting form today.
Let's get two runs here and end it next inning.
Please, seriously, please.
Dear God.
Just two runs.
Let’s stop them, let’s stop them.
– K! – Swing and a miss, strikeout.
– Two outs, two outs. – That’s two outs now.
LEE TAEK KEUN shows his disappointment.
Two outs, two outs.
That was a perfect display of a high school-level class
with a four-seam fastball strikeout.
A power pitcher has that kind of strength.
Two outs, two outs.
And now it’s PARK JAE WOOK.
In bringing us back to this point,
PARK JAE WOOK made the biggest contribution.
Can we count on PARK JAE WOOK’s bat once again?
– Please. – It’s JAE WOOK, it’s JAE WOOK.
– Just one like earlier. – Today is JAE WOOK’s day, his day.
KANG DONG WOO is on second, JEONG SEONG HOON on first.
We trust again, just like that previous hit.
– That one tied the game. We go for the tie first. – Yes.
Let’s stop them, end it here.
– Just one. – Stop them.
We have to stop this, we must.
Swung at a breaking ball.
Right at the shortstop.
He tosses to second to end the inning.
MIN JUN.
They couldn’t close that one-run gap.
The game stands at 4–3 as we move into the top of the 9th.
It’s okay. The next part of the lineup looks good.
– Hang in there, DAE EUN. – Defense, defense, defense.
So frustrating.
That left-center is insanely wide.
Wasn’t DAE HO’s hit basically a home run?
I thought it at least hit the top of the wall.
But earlier, when you explained it, the ball went that way...
– That thought kept running through my head. – Exactly.
I kept thinking, “Wow, that’s really far” and hoping it might go over.
Take it slow, JAE WOOK isn’t out yet.
Let’s go, let’s go!
– Honestly, while watching today’s game... – Let’s go!
Honestly, while watching today’s game...
– The start of this summer is brutal. – Yeah.
Today has been a truly tough battle.
DAE EUN, I’m sorry.
Somehow, we’ll get to the top of the lineup in the 9th.
The Flame Fighters need to hold the lead at one run and go to the bottom of the 9th.
RHEE DAE EUN is back on the mound.
He gave up a run last inning,
but he hung in there, so now
he’s back on the mound this inning.
Make a call if not sure.
– Call it. – Yeah.
KANG DONG WOO is now playing left field.
Man, SEONG HOON looks like he’s gonna collapse.
JEONG SEONG HOON is struggling more than he did last inning.
I’ve never seen him like this before.
Swing and a miss! Strikeout!
Three-pitch strikeout.
– That’s how quickly we need to finish it. – Yeah.
– We absolutely cannot allow a grounder between third and short. – Of course not.
Feeling dizzy.
And now it’s KANG JUNG GYEOM at bat.
He lays down a bunt.
Trying to exploit the Flame Fighters’ weakness.
– That's it. – Swing and a miss, strikeout. Two batters in a row go down.
Nice, nice.
Just a little more, SEONG HOON. Hang in there.
Number one hitter, KIM CHANG BEOM.
Can RHEE DAE EUN finish this?
It’s in.
Another three-pitch strikeout.
That’s his eighth strikeout.
From atop the mound,
RHEE DAE EUN has been fighting with everything he has.
Up next, the final offensive push from the Flame Fighters.
Didn’t even throw low ones.
With this pitch count, can you throw another one?
I can throw more. It’s not even hard for me right now.
I'm fine.
– I can definitely shut them down. – While doing this...
What if this ruins your condition?
That won’t happen.
Man, great work.
Alright, let’s go.
We can’t let this get tied.
If it goes to extra innings, we’ll lose.
– We absolutely must turn it around. – We have no choice but to reverse it.
– Scoring one run isn't the answer here... – That won't work.
Doesn’t feel like we’ll lose, though.
Exactly, it doesn’t feel like a loss.
– As long as SANG WOO gets on base... – I don’t think we’ll lose.
– It’s the normal lineup now. – We just need someone to get on base.
– YONG TAIK will make something happen. – Yeah.
Just give us one, seriously.
We’ve been grinding way longer than just a day or two.
Zombie mentality! Zombie mentality!
Score! Finish it!
Finish it off with a walk-off.
And now, we move to the final Flame Fighters offense.
Let’s go, let’s turn it around!
Fighting!
They’re holding us off with just two pitchers.
Isn’t this the first time an amateur team stopped us with only two pitchers?
This is it, the final inning.
Let’s go!
Incredible.
KIM MIN JUN is back on the mound for the 9th.
KIM MIN JUN is impressive.
You’re telling me they’re stopping these Flame Fighters’ bats with only two pitchers?
Never imagined this would happen.
Now that kind of team exists, right here.
This is Daegu High School.
Let’s win! Let’s win!
We’ll give them their first loss.
Let’s shut them down, we’re hotter than flames.
MIN JUN, you’ve got to get number 9.
You can’t let LIM SANG WOO get on base, got it?
Ugh, why is it 9-1-2 in the order?
Leading off is LIM SANG WOO.
Now we need to bring the energy, this is our final at-bat.
This is the time to show everything you’ve got.
SANG WOO, get on base!
Let’s go, SANG WOO, SANG WOO!
This game is not just any game.
- This could be the Fighters’ first loss. - That’s right.
Let’s hope this final push brings some real power.
It’s a strike on the outside corner.
We’re winning this, we’re winning this!
KIM MIN JUN is still throwing over 140 km/h.
That youthful energy just won’t quit.
Shake him up, please shake him up!
It’s in.
That one looked like a strike.
Yeah, that was in the zone.
How many pitches is he throwing?
KIM MIN JUN is nearing 90 pitches.
Just get on base first!
Let’s go, LimStar.
All we need is a base runner.
Stop them!
Can he really hold them off?
Another pitch on the outside, it's in.
Looking strikeout, one out.
One down, two to go!
- KIM MIN JUN! KIM MIN JUN! - KIM MIN JUN!
Nice pitch.
This kid...
He’s really good at changing speeds.
He adjusts his velocity perfectly.
That’s what good hand control looks like.
We’re watching the top high school pitcher of the season.
Now stepping up to bat, JEONG KEUN WOO.
Just hit a double.
Just get on base.
Alright, alright, KEUN WOO, you’ve got this!
Two more! Two more! Focus!
The devil’s gotta lend us one.
It’s a foul to the right.
Nice.
What is that? A 1-3 count?
As expected from Daegu High, they don’t get tired.
- They play baseball in 40°C, no wonder. - Exactly.
You know what’s chilling?
- You don’t see a drop of sweat on MIN JUN’s face. - Seriously.
I think he's enjoying this cool temperature now.
They’re built different, playing ball in Daefrica.
Please, just get on base.
Just a base hit. That’s all we need.
The Fighters still have two outs left.
Grounder toward center, the shortstop’s going for it.
Run! Run fast!
Take it easy, take it easy.
Shortstop’s closing in, throw to first...
At first!
He dropped it at first base!
It’s a miracle!
Okay! Okay! Stop! Stop! Stop!
Okay! Okay! Okay!
JEONG KEUN WOO is on base.
This is it!
Come on, DA SEUNG, that was way off.
That’s huge. Seriously huge.
No one expected a scene like this.
It wasn’t even a rushed play.
But he just didn’t catch it.
First baseman BAE DA SEUNG with the catching error.
Unbelievable.
MIN JUN, MIN JUN...
Let’s just focus on making clean catches.
One out, runner on first.
This isn’t over yet.
Something feels off now.
The momentum’s shifted, it’s here!
This is the moment meant for us.
Even the heavens want us to win this.
This is divine intervention, seriously.
They want us to finish this.
Now at bat, MUN GYO WON.
With confidence!
But GYO WON is good.
- Should we trust him this time? - Maybe we should.
- Should we give GYO WON a shot today? - Let’s do it.
We’ve got to trust GYO WON this time.
- Let’s put our faith in GYO WON. - That guy always pulls something off.
He’s a clutch player.
Show us something here, GYO WON.
He watches the outside pitch carefully.
Play the hitter, not the moment.
Be bold.
Batter MUN GYO WON.
In this kind of heat,
GYO WON’s face is different from the ex-pros, calm and focused.
Inside pitch, strike one.
- Inside. - The count is 1-and-1.
Let it go, let it go.
Ah, foul ball.
That was a forkball.
Nice pitch.
Don’t rush, don’t rush.
Whoa, forkball.
- That forkball’s nasty, isn’t it? - That forkball...
It’s hard to make solid contact.
Yeah, it’s tough.
All you can do is foul it off.
- Strikeout. - Strikeout.
MUN GYO WON is in a tough count.
He’s got to take responsibility here.
Only youthful energy can beat youthful energy.
The ball’s high.
- Yes, yes! - Okay, okay!
Nice one, GYO WON!
A walk is fine too!
That push effect in the pitch, that means he’s tired.
Okay! Okay! Okay!
That’s it, this might really be it.
Please, oh please.
Put it in, just put it in!
It’s a full count.
Can’t afford a walk here.
It’s low, a walk!
Okay!
GYO WON did great.
Great eye.
Heck yeah!
Now the tying and go-ahead runners are on base for the Flame Fighters.
Well done, well done.
Next batter, PARK YONG TAIK.
On deck is LEE DAE HO.
This is getting exciting.
Let’s go, YONG TAIK!
This is exciting now.
Let’s go, Ulsan TAIK!
Let’s go, Captain!
Hit one for us! Just one!
Watch your timing.
Don’t let the umpire shake you.
Stick to your strike zone.
Stick to your strike zone...
Yo, YONG TAIK!
Please make it happen.
It’s a zero hit in four.
Hey, PARK YONG TAIK!
Please hit one!
Parkroach!
Now’s the time to deliver, YONG TAIK.
- Feels like he’ll hit one now. - Exactly.
- That’s the experience and star quality... - A true star.
- He’s batting .188? - It’s fine.
He’s got 8 RBIs with a .188 average.
- Let’s go, you're not a one-day wonder. - Let’s go, Parkroach!
He swings at the first pitch, foul to the left.
He anticipated it, but was still late.
Come on, Parkroach.
He was late, even though he was waiting for it.
Man...
Why is he swinging like that...
Why’s his bat dragging through like that?
Not a single player on this field is fresh anymore.
Breaking ball crosses the strike zone.
Wasn’t that too high?
That high-angle splitter
throws off the hitter’s timing when it comes in high.
- We can’t afford a grounder now. - Man, today...
He’s done everything.
It’s time for a hit.
He’s popped out, grounded out, hit into a double play, struck out, done it all.
Now it's hit time, by probability.
It has to come, odds are on our side.
This is real drama now.
You can do it. You got this.
If he hits for power here...
With MUN GYO WON’s speed,
he’s scoring for sure.
- He can make it home. - Any decent hit and he’s coming in.
- KIM MIN JUN! - Let’s go!
Please... seriously.
Hit toward shortstop!
Double play! Double play!
No, no!
It’s fielded by the shortstop.
Steps on second, throws to first!
Please! Please! Please!
Steps on second, throws to first!
Safe at first!
Another error!
- That’s it! - Okay!
Now anything can happen.
It's wide open now.
Safe! Safe! Safe!
Come on, DAE HO, please!
DAE HO!
Hey!
Why do you keep writing a drama like this?!
It should’ve ended right there.
It should’ve been a routine double play, honestly.
But the throw was off again.
Oh, please.
I can’t even see the ball.
There’s still one chance left.
Yes, it should’ve been over.
But it’s not.
We still don’t know what’ll happen.
- Because LEE DAE HO is still in play. - Exactly.
Wait, LEE DAE HO?
Yo, it’s really LEE DAE HO, whoa.
Manager, are you walking DAE HO?
There are two outs and a runner on third.
DAE HO probably can’t run.
- Walk him, walk him. - Should we walk him?
- Intentional walk! - Intentional walk!
Intentional walk!
- Bases loaded, classic strategy. - They’re walking LEE DAE HO now?
- If we get a hit here, it’s only one run, right? - Yes.
But if DONG WOO hits, it’s two runs, right?
They’re really walking him?
- DONG WOO’s dangerous though. - They’re walking him?!
Didn’t DONG WOO already hit a walk-off before?
He did.
That’s the go-ahead run.
DONG WOO’s scary.
- Hey, DONG WOO. - You're really getting this chance?
Let’s go, DONG WOO!
- You can do it, DONG WOO! - Okay, okay!
Now the bases are loaded.
They chose to face KANG DONG WOO.
- Stay calm, DONG WOO. - Yes.
- He’s tired now, with over 100 pitches. - Yes.
Does he throw inside fastballs too?
He avoids the inside?
Forkballs sometimes leak inside.
- He doesn’t aim for inside pitches. - Ah, got it.
- Forget the inside, just focus on the middle. - Okay.
Man, he must be shaking like crazy right now.
What kind of player is KANG DONG WOO?
When he came in as a pinch hitter...
- He hit a walk-off before. - Oh yeah, that’s right!
Opening game walk-off!
He swings! To left-center! It’s going deep!
Off the wall!
Final score, 10 to 5.
KANG DONG WOO ends it with a walk-off cold-game win!
And with that, the opening game victory goes to the Flame Fighters!
The hero of the opener, KANG DONG WOO.
We all know
that this player made his mark with the Flame Fighters.
This was his true debut.
He’s the final batter.
Two runners in scoring position.
Bases are loaded.
Nice pitch.
Time!
Time! Time! Time!
Hurry, go!
- Run hard, run hard! - Okay!
They’re making a pinch runner change.
Subbing in KIM MIN BEOM. That’s KIM MIN BEOM.
He ran his heart out, good job.
Isn’t SHIN JAE YOUNG faster than MIN BEOM?
Nah, MIN BEOM is quick.
Don’t use me as a pinch runner!
SHIN JAE YOUNG, aren’t you faster?
If you can’t pitch, at least run the bases.
DONG WOO, please.
Let’s go, DONG WOO!
Even a short hit might be a play at the plate.
It’s simple.
If he gets a hit, the game ends.
If not, this will be the Fighters’ first loss.
It all comes down to this one player.
First pitch, inside, strike.
Okay!
KIM MIN JUN!
Ahh, I can’t watch...
Please, please.
Dang, a forkball on the first pitch?
Who throws a forkball with bases loaded?!
KANG DONG WOO hasn’t been in the spotlight much, but
he has excellent hitting ability.
And since he had such a great first game,
he needs to tap into that memory.
Swing at the second pitch.
Deep to the right, foul territory!
Foul!
Just keep swinging, it’s okay!
Wow, KIM MIN JUN is amazing.
Look at how many pitches he’s thrown.
Still no signs of breaking down.
He’s up 0-2 in the count.
He pushes it!
Foul ball!
That felt like something, though.
- Ahh, the legend of that name... - Ahh, the legend of that name...
I don’t even know how he fouled that off.
That was a perfect pitch.
The most dramatic moment in baseball
and KANG DONG WOO is at the plate.
I can do it.
I got this.
I got this!
He fouls it off again!
Oh, that was in!
That hit the mitt, man.
It’s a ball!
- Nice job! Nice job! - Nice cut!
Looking good, DONG WOO!
- Great cut, great cut. - If he drops one here, there’s no way to hit it.
KANG DONG WOO keeps fouling off similar pitches.
Hey, DONG WOO’s doing well in college, right?
- Huh? - DONG WOO’s solid, right?
Yeah, he’s good.
Might be better than me.
He practices nonstop, makes sense.
Feels like he’s gonna hit one.
High pitch.
- Okay! Okay! - Okay! Okay!
DONG WOO’s really reading the pitches now.
Please...
Now he’ll definitely try to drop one.
Feels like a forkball is coming.
SOO HYUN, just watch the shortstop.
Just cover short.
But the count still favors the pitcher.
KIM MIN JUN.
Let’s go.
It bounced!
Whoa, he blocked it again?!
Stop!
Nice catch, catcher!
It didn’t get away... argh.
Man, this is epic. Seriously.
What a block.
That dang kid, really...
How did he stop that?
He really blocked that?!
He actually blocked that?!
Wow, LEE JAE JUN.
They said he’s an offensive catcher,
but his defense is incredible.
Who stops that kind of pitch in this moment?
Nice job, JAE JUN.
MIN JUN, it’s okay, one pitch at a time.
Daegu High is impressive too.
They just prevented a run.
MIN JUN!
Take it slow.
Nice ball.
MIN KYU, tell center to move in.
Two outs, two strikes.
Center field’s playing too shallow.
Count is 2-2.
- Just once, please. - Just one shot, I’m begging you.
Let’s go!
Do it for your mom, be a good son!
Go!
DONG WOO, your mom’s watching!
Go, KANG DONG WOO!
- KANG DONG WOO! KANG DONG WOO! - KANG DONG WOO! KANG DONG WOO!
Let’s win this, please.
- LEE JAE JUN! LEE JAE JUN! LEE JAE JUN! - LEE JAE JUN! LEE JAE JUN! LEE JAE JUN!
Let’s really win this!
He fouls it off again!
It never ends!
- Don’t do this. - Why does this feel like a movie?
- Yes! Yes! Yes! - He’s killing it!
- He’s gonna get one of these. - So good.
Bottom of the 9th, two outs, bases loaded.
Count is 2-2.
This game is in the hands of KANG DONG WOO.
Batter KANG DONG WOO.
Pitcher KIM MIN JUN.
And the result is...
He pulls it!
It gets past the shortstop!
Run! Run! Run!
Runner from third is heading home!
Runner from second is going home too!
Home! Home! Home! Home!
- Home! - Okay!
Come quick! Come quick! Come on!
- Run! - Runner from second scores!
He’s in! He scores!
Come quick! Come quick! Come on!
He crosses the plate first!
He scores first!
And that’s the game!
Game over!
That bottom-of-the-ninth, two-out moment you dreamed of...
It just became reality!
He actually hit that forkball.
Walk-off win for the Flame Fighters!
And it’s KANG DONG WOO’s moment!
If we hadn’t substituted MIN BEOM, it would've been a disaster.
Ah, it was KANG DONG WOO.
We were losing.
We could have lost.
But the heavens didn’t allow it.
An unbelievable bottom of the 9th.
Every hit by KANG DONG WOO for the Fighters
ended the game.
The fighting spirit of the Fighters finally roars.
Nine straight wins to open the season.
The Flame Fighters are a team that doesn't lose.
You did great, DONG WOO.
Thank you for the hard work.
If we hadn’t subbed MIN BEOM, that could’ve been bad, right?
Yeah, you're right.
I ran super fast, seriously.
Thought you were gonna die out there.
The pitcher was way too fast.
- MIN BEOM did great too. - Thank you.
Thank you.
Why’d they walk me? They could’ve just gone for it, right?
Okay, nice!
- DONG WOO! - DONG WOO really hit that well.
Good work.
Well done.
I think we handled both pitching and hitting well,
but we made too many errors
and that’s really disappointing.
If we play again soon, I’m sure we can win next time.
Please give us one more chance.
Daegu High.
Fighters.
- Fighting! - Fighting!
Attention, bow!
That concludes our broadcast of today’s game.
Thanks to our commentator KIM SUN WOO
and I’m your caster, JEONG YONG GUM.
Thank you, everyone.
Wow, that was insane.
Wow, DONG WOO.
You really crushed it.
Can’t believe you pulled that off...
We will establish a new franchise.
We’re starting a team.
For real, man.
What just happened?
This is exciting.
So hyped, wow.
- My heart’s about to explode. - Gives me chills.
The Fighters meet their fans in Ulsan, a city hungry for baseball.
It’s our first live game here in Ulsan.
And of course, all tickets are sold out, thanks to our amazing fans.
Ulsan truly misses baseball.
Since Winter Break, so many fans have
become familiar with Gangneung High, our opponent today.
- Let’s play like students. - Don’t worry.
- One, two, three. - Let’s go!
During the Winter Break program,
they learned a lot from Manager KIM SUNG KUN.
He swings at a dropping pitch.
And misses.
Nice ball though, huh?
It gets through, a hit between first and second!
He pushes it, breaks open the 1-2 gap.
Whoa, nice hit.
He’s hitting everything right now.
Swings at the first pitch, to third!
First-pitch hit drops in front of center field.
Run! Round it quick!
This is changing the whole game.
Two outs, bases loaded, chance for the Flame Fighters.
Crisis for Gangneung High.
The opportunity goes to KIM MOON HO.
His first start of the season.
You got this, MOON HO!
Plenty of support for the Octopus.
He hits it! Clean single to left-center!
That’s the Octopus in the rain, KIM MOON HO.
My first hit.
The soaked webfoot octopus is back!