Where did Lotte Giants’ hairy ace go?
Lotte Giants Dan Strayley started the game against KT Wiz at Sajik Stadium in Busan on the 8th and came down the mound after recording 7 hits (1 home run), 1 walk, 7 strikeouts and 5 runs (4 earned runs) in 6 innings. He failed to prevent the team’s 3-7 defeat and became the losing pitcher.
Strayley, who started in the opening game against Doosan held 안전놀이터at Jamsil Stadium on the 1st, recorded 4 hits, 3 walks, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts and 3 runs in 5 innings. It can be said that he threw it moderately, but it was a record that was not enough to be called an ace in the opening game.
Above all, it resulted in the failure of the fight to overcome the ace in the face-to-face confrontation. He struggled in the first inning and scored three runs. The other line exploded right away and chased after it, and even turned around, but eventually the game was handed over 10-12 after a close game. It was hard to see him fulfilling his role as an ace.
He could take into account the fact that it was his first appearance of the season. However, even in the second appearance of the season, Strayley did not improve. This time, it was a match against KT’s ace, Wes Benjamin, but he conceded in the first inning. Giving away his 3 was also the same as the opening game.
After one out in the first inning, Strayley, who got a right-handed hit by Kang Baek-hoge and a left-handed hit by Alford, allowed Byeong-ho Park to double at the right time in the first and second bases with one out. In the ensuing 1 out, 2nd and 3rd base, Seong-Woo Jang allowed a sacrifice fly to center fielder and allowed 2 runs. And in the second out and second base, Hwang Jae-gyun hit again in a timely manner and gave up the third point. It was a timely hit that allowed two strikes.
In the end, amid Strayley’s hunting, Lotte had to struggle to catch up. Lotte pursued diligently. In the 2nd inning, Yoo Kang-nam hit his first home run after transferring and made it 1-3.
However, Strayley gave up the run straight away, putting this pursuit to shame. He gave up a solo home run to lead batter Park Byeong-ho in the third inning.
The batting line again pursued 3-4 with Jack Rex’s 2 RBIs and timely hits at the end of the 3rd inning. However, after one out in the 4th inning, a crisis was created by a mistake by third baseman Han Dong-hee, and Baek-ho Kang allowed a sacrifice fly to the left fielder and scored the 5th run. This run was not recorded as an earned run.
Strayley faltered in his first two starts. More than anything, what is not so serious is that the fastball pitch is not the same as before. His highest speed of the day was 146 km. In his last match against Doosan, his average velocity was only 142.9 km (based on stat tease). On this day, too, most of the balls formed in the early 140km range. There was no ball itself that exceeded 145 km.
The power of the hairy ace, who showed off the face of ‘Doctor K’ with 205 strikeouts in 2020, was nowhere to be found.