KIA Tigers’ Lee Yi-ri (21) comes off the mound after throwing a head shot.
Lee came off the mound after throwing 22 pitches in one inning of work against the Hanwha Eagles in the 2023 Shinhan Bank 안전놀이터 SOL KBO League at Hanwha Life Eagles Park in Daejeon on Friday, giving up two runs on one hit with one walk and two strikeouts.
After retiring the side in order in the first inning, Lee was shaky in the second.
After walking the first batter, Noh Si-hwan, Lee faced Kim In-hwan in the fifth with the bases loaded.
However, Lee’s first-pitch fastball slipped out of his hand and hit Kim In-hwan in the head, striking his helmet.
The umpires ordered Lee to be ejected, as the rule states that hitting a batter in the head with a fastball is an immediate ejection.
It was Lee’s sixth ejection of the season and his fourth for a head shot.
KIA quickly brought up left-hander Kim Ki-hoon, but he gave up a walk to Oh Sun-jin to load the bases. He then gave up back-to-back pinch-hit singles to Lee Jin-young and Park Sang-eon, bringing home both runners Lee had walked.
KIA switched pitchers again to Kim Dae-yu. Kim struck out Lee Won-seok, but gave up a hit by pitch to Jeong Eun-won, allowing the pushing run to score.
With the bases loaded, he induced Moon Hyun-bin to fly out to first base and then turned a double play to end the inning.
After falling behind 1-3 in the inning, KIA scored two runs in the top of the third to tie the game at 3-3.