PO stage 6 years after 2017
The NC Dinos wrapped up the semi-playoffs with three straight wins and punched their ticket to the playoffs (PO-5 best-of-three).
NC defeated SSG Landers 7-6 in the third game of the 2023 Shinhan Bank Shootout KBO Semi-PPO at NC Park in Changwon on May 25.
After dropping the first and second games in enemy territory, NC returned home and won the third game to advance to the PO.
In particular, they made history by winning despite allowing the tying run to score in the top of the fourth
inning. A postseason first. In the previous 17 games with a grand slam, the team that hit the winning run went on to win the game.
NC, which is making its first appearance in the PO in six years since 2017, will play the first round of the
PO against the regular season runner-up KT Wiz at KT Wiz Park in Suwon on April 30.
SSG, who finished third in the regular season and advanced directly to the semi-preseason, was
eliminated without winning a single game.
NC foreign batsman Jason Martin’s bat was hot. Martin went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs,
including a three-run blast in the second inning to rally from a 4-5 deficit.
Both teams were hot at the plate early in the game, as both starting pitchers fell apart early.
It was NC who took the lead first.
In the top of the first inning, back-to-back singles by Son Asub and Park Min-woo put runners on first and
second with no outs, and Park Gun-woo’s grounder to the third baseman turned into a double play.
However, Martin’s single and stolen base put runners on second and third, and Kwon Hee-dong hit a two-
run double to right to give NC the lead.
Seo Ho-cheol followed with an RBI double to the left-center field fence to extend the NC lead to 3-0.
SSG quickly turned the game around.
In the top of the second, back-to-back singles by Kim Sung-hyun and Oh Tae-gon and a walk to Choo
Shin-soo loaded the bases, and Guillermo Heredia drew a wild pitch.
With the bases loaded, Choi hit a grand slam over the left field fence. It was Choi’s 13th home run of the
postseason and his first grand slam.
SSG’s 5-3 lead didn’t last long. NC scored four runs in the next at-bat.
In the bottom of the second, Do Tae-hoon was hit by a pitch and Park Min-woo walked to put runners on
first and second, and Park Gun-woo singled to left.
With runners on first and second, Martin took advantage of a slider to the body from reliever Noh Kyung-
eun and blasted a three-run shot to right field.
SSG got one run back in the top of the fourth. Two batters later, Choi Jung-jeong walked and Han Yoo-
seom hit a timely double to the top of the left-center field fence.
The teams remained scoreless the rest of the way.
NC failed to score in the bottom of the fifth with runners on first and second, and in the top of the sixth,
Park Gun-woo singled with runners on first and second. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Kim Hyung-
joon and Kim Joo-won reached on a fielder’s choice and a strikeout, respectively.
SSG hit the ground in the top of the seventh as they were unable to capitalize on their chances with runners on first and second.
On the NC mound, Lee Jae-hak, who took over for starter Tanner, pitched 2⅔ innings of one-run ball
before being hit by a pitch, while Kim Young-gyu (1⅓ innings), Ryu Jin-wook (⅔ innings), and Lim Jung-
ho (1⅓ innings) pitched scoreless innings.
SSG fought back with Kirk McCarty (2 innings), Go Hyo-joon (1 inning), and Choi Min-joon (1 inning), but they were unable to capitalize.
In the ninth inning, NC brought in closer Lee Yong-chan, who had been shaky, but ended the inning with
a triple play to preserve the team’s one-run victory. 19가이드03