NC is eliminated with 9 consecutive wins, the most PS record of all time
KT won 3-2 in the final 5th game of the 2023 KBO League playoffs (best of 5) held at KT Wiz Park in Suwon on the 5th. As a result, KT, who lost games 1 and 2, won games 3 and 5 and advanced to the Korean Series with a series record of 3 wins and 1 loss. The first game of the Korean series will be played against LG on the 7th.
Son Dong-hyun, who recorded a relief win with two scoreless innings in Game 5, won the playoff MVP award. He appeared in all 5 games and recorded 1 win, 1 hold, and 7 scoreless innings. He won a prize of 3 million won.
The reverse sweep in a 5-game playoff series is the 3rd record in history. After Hyundai in 1996 and SK in 2009, KT created a miraculous turnaround drama in 14 years.
In these playoffs, the team that scored first until Game 4 all won. However, KT allowed the first goal in Game 5 and fell behind 0-2, but came from behind to win 3-2. It was a miraculous drama until Game 5.
KT suffered consecutive losses at home despite using foreign pitchers Cuevas and Benjamin in the first and second playoff games. Cuevas performed poorly in the first game, allowing 7 runs (4 earned) in 3 innings. Benjamin was decent, allowing 3 runs in 5 innings, but the team's batting line did not explode.
However, after moving to Changwon, they successfully launched a major counterattack. In the third game, they escaped the brink with a 3-0 win thanks to 6 scoreless innings by local ace Ko Young-pyo. In Game 4, Cuevas, who took the mound after three days of rest after starting in Game 1, pitched 6 scoreless innings, and the team's batting line exploded with 14 hits, resulting in an 11-2 victory. The match continued until the final 5th game.
In Game 5, Benjamin took the mound as a starter and pitched 5 innings, allowing 5 hits, no walks, striking out 5, and allowing 2 runs (1 earned). Son Dong-hyun took the mound in the 6th inning with no outs on first base and became the winning pitcher with 2 scoreless innings. In the 5th inning, when the team was down 0-2, with one out and runners on first and third base, Minhyuk Kim came on as a pinch hitter and hit a double with two RBIs to tie the game. With the bases loaded and no outs in the 6th inning, Park Byeong-ho's grounder double play to second baseman resulted in the winning run.
NC continued its postseason winning streak (6 consecutive wins) this year, with Peddie pitching well in the first game and Shin Min-hyuk pitching well in the second game. With the victory in Game 2 of the playoffs, NC has 9 consecutive wins in the postseason since Game 4 of the Korean Series in 2020, and is on par with Haitai's all-time postseason record of 9 consecutive wins (Game 4 of the 1987 Playoffs ~ Game 3 of the 1988 Korean Series). We set a tie record for doing it side by side. However, they lost from Game 3 to Game 5 of the playoffs, falling victim to a reverse sweep, and failing to advance to the Korean Series.
The KT team laid down a large tarp covering the entire infield the night before. Puddles of water appeared everywhere, including the outfield ground, bullpen, and infield foul area. Coach Lee was most wary of situations where rain would stop the game or result in a no-game during the game.
Coach Lee said, “Looking at the weather today, the KBO needs to make a good decision. The game must not be canceled while it is in progress. If you do it, you have to do it until the end. Looking at the weather, it seemed like the KBO (Korea Baseball Organization) would have to make a good decision. Over there (NC), there may be a starter named Peddie. If you play a game, you have to play until the end. If the game is interrupted, I think we will have to make good decisions, unlike in a pennant race.
I would understand if it was Game 1 or 2, but it is understandable because the starting pitcher remains. Today is game 5. If the game is stopped, all we can say is to raise our hands. It is said that rain is forecast again in the afternoon, so I hope you can make a good decision by looking at the weather accurately. I am most worried about the weather. If the game is canceled 1-2 innings after starting, all they can say is to postpone the game tomorrow (6th). We are the last remaining card (Benjamin). On the other hand, NC has a card (pedi) that can come out, so I think we need to look at it carefully and make a decision.” The
reason why Manager Lee made a decisive statement toward the KBO is that if the game is postponed to the 6th while the game is in progress, the starting pitcher who will pitch is This is because it is not appropriate. If the game on the 5th is canceled before the start, Benjamin can be used as is on the 6th, but if the game is canceled during the game, the Benjamin card is lost. Of course, the exclusion remains as he has not appeared in a single game yet, but advancement to the Korean Series has been decided. It would be burdensome to appoint him as a starter for Game 5.