Manager Lee Kang-cheol applauds
Game 4 of the 2023 KBO League Playoffs (PO) between the KT Wiz and NC Dinos at Changwon NC Park in Changwon, Gyeongnam, on Wednesday afternoon.
KT head coach Lee Kang-cheol applauds his players after the team's 11-2 victory over NC to level the playoff race.
KT Wiz head coach Lee Kang-cheol applauded starting pitcher William Cuevas for leading the team to victory in Game 4 of the Korean Baseball Playoffs (PO).
"Cuevas pitched like an ace as I thought he would and we were able to win," Lee said after the 11-2 victory in Game 4 at Changwon NC Park in Changwon, Gyeongnam, on Wednesday, adding, "The bats exploded from the first inning and we played comfortably for the playoffs."
Cuevas bounced back from his Game 1 loss with a six-inning, one-hit shutout four days later, and he credits his 'slider' pitch for that.
He said, "The angle of the slider got bigger and it drew out the hitters' swings. In the first game, it was hard, but today he threw (the slider) at 130 kilometers per hour."
Cuevas, who threw 73 pitches, mixed in a cut fastball (23), four-seam fastball (19), two-seam fastball (12), changeup (10) and slider (9).
Asked if he thought about leaving Cuevas in the game in the seventh inning, Lee said, "I ended up with the right (pitch) count because I had to think about it one more time. He said he was going to throw more, but I stopped him."
The comments were likely made with Game 1 of the Korean Series on July 7 against the LG Twins in mind.
Lee strategically did not reveal the starting pitcher for Game 5 of the PO on Friday.
"I don't have to tell you," Lee said, adding, "We'll see how they're feeling."
He did praise Anthony Alford and Byung-ho Park for their improved hitting, and Hwang Jae-gyun for capitalizing on a fielding error with a home run.
Alford, who went 0-for-3 in Games 1-3 of the playoffs, went 2-for-4, while Park, who was 2-for-12, went 2-for-5.
"I kept him (in the lineup) so he could get a feel for it," Lee said, adding, "Byung-ho also got a hit in the first inning, so I think both of them are getting better."
As for Hwang Jae-gyun, he said, "His mood kept dropping because of his mistakes, but he did a good job in the offense and brightened up (again)." 슬롯