Hanwha Eagles ace Felix Peña bounced back from a four-game losing streak. On March 3, he started against the Doosan Bears and allowed one run on one hit over 6⅓ innings. He earned his eighth win of the season en route to a 5-2 victory. It was his first win in three games since July 9 against the SSG Landers.
Cleaned up the Doosan center field lineup. Held Rojas, Yang, and Kim Jae-hwan, the No. 3-5 hitters, hitless in eight at-bats. Yang walked the only batter he faced.
It was a shaky start. In the top of the first inning, Jeong Soo-bin, the leadoff hitter, walked Yang Yang-ji, the No. 4 hitter. Jeong allowed a stolen base. With runners on first and third, he faced Yang Seok-hwan, No. 5. The game didn’t last long. He struck out Yang Seok-hwan on a three-pitch at bat.
After giving up a leadoff single to Kim Jae-ho in the top of the second, he retired the next two batters. A walk and a single loaded the bases in the fourth and fifth innings, but he fanned the next two batters.
He pitched well through the sixth inning, but suddenly faltered in the top of the seventh. He walked Kim Jae-ho in the seventh and Jang Seung-hyun and Kang Seung-ho in the eighth and ninth on four pitches. With one out, he was replaced by Kim Bum-soo. The next batter’s sacrifice fly scored a run. The inning continued.
With two outs, Kim Bum-soo threw out Rojas at third base.
Hanwha took the lead in the first inning with a two-run homer by Kim Tae-yeon. Oh Sun-jin’s RBI single in the fourth and Lee Do-yoon’s RBI triple in the seventh.
Doosan starter Raul Alcantara took the 토토 loss after allowing three runs in six innings.
Peña snapped a three-game losing streak in his previous two appearances.
He allowed three runs in six innings against the LG Twins in Daejeon on June 9 and three runs (two earned) in 6⅓ innings against the KIA Tigers in Daejeon on June 21.
Most reliable starter. He made 15 quality starts (6+ innings pitched, 3 earned runs or less) in May. He failed to complete a quality start on June 15 against the Lotte Giants, giving up two runs in 5⅓ innings.