This year, the NC has had a tough time against Lotte. They dropped all three games of the season’s first ‘Nakdonggang Series’ at home in Changwon on April 21-23. In the first game, they gave up back-to-back runs in the 8th and 9th innings to tie the game, then gave up the winning run in the 10th inning to lose. The next day, they self-destructed by committing five errors, and in the third game, they led 3-0 until the end of the eighth inning before giving up five runs in the top of the ninth.
NC was unable to find its groove. They lost the second game of the three-game series in Busan in May with a 1-2 record. They finally got their first win against Lotte in the fifth game of the season on June 24. After the game, NC captain Son As-seop said, “We lost four games in a row to the same team, which hurt our pride. We will prepare well to win tomorrow,” but the next day, they suffered a crushing 1-11 defeat.메이저사이트
After starting the Nakdong River Derby with a 1-5 head-to-head record, NC turned the tide. They bounced back with back-to-back sweeps in the final two games of the first half in July, then went 3-1 in four games, including a doubleheader on Aug. 8-10, to turn the tables on their opponents in just over five months. With just one game remaining on the 12th, NC is now 8-7 against Lotte this season. It has secured at least a tied season record.
During the four-game series, NC outplayed Lotte in the offense, a testament to their recent improvement. On the 10th, they were outmatched by LOTTE in the pitching matchup with the exception of Eric Peddie, but managed to pull out a close win. In the first game on the 8th, they came from behind with two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to defeat opposing ace Charlie Barnes. They dropped the first game of the doubleheader on the 9th, but came back with three runs in the bottom of the sixth to win the second game 6-5. The game on Tuesday was dominated by Pedi, who pitched 8.1 innings of one-run ball, but it was also highlighted by the focus of other players, including shortstop Kim Joo-won, who made a diving catch for the final out.
Pitcher Choi Yong-chan pitched for the third straight day, earning saves in all three of NC’s victories. In the second game of the doubleheader on September 9, he became the 10th pitcher in KBO history to record 150 career saves.
Lotte has been a nightmare for Yong-chan this season. It was against Lotte that Yong-chan, who started the season with a zero ERA, gave up his first run and his first blown save. Prior to this four-game series, Yong-chan had given up seven runs in five innings in five games against Lotte, posting a 12.60 ERA.
If NC earns a draw or better against Lotte on Wednesday, it will record its first head-to-head series win in three years. In the past two seasons, the series was split at 7 wins, 2 draws and 7 losses (2021) and 8 wins, 8 losses (2022), respectively. Depending on the outcome of KT’s match against SSG in Incheon on Sunday, they could move up to second place by half a game.