Low-Ranking Teams` Winning Streak Made Fourth Place Hazy

`The Great Rebellion` has taken place by the low-ranking teams.

The fourth place Kia almost grabbed a berth for the playoffs winning two game series over the Hanhwa at the beginning of last week. But the Lotte and the Hanhwa pushed back the Kia to the sixth place, taking fourth and fifth places with the two game winning streak at weekend. Moreover, as all four low-ranking teams captured the high-ranking teams at the two-game weekend series, the contest for last playoff ticket was wrapped in a maze.

The last place LG led the `Great Rebellion` last weekend. Following 5-3 victory on 22th, the LG captured a 1-0 victory over Kia with the outstanding start of Linton. Shin Yoon-Ho kept a 1-0 lead by Lee Jong-Yeol`s timely hit in the seventh with one out and a runner on the third. Starter Linton pitched the 8 scoreless innings allowing 6 hits, and a relief Shin Yoon-Ho took the mound in the ninth with no-out and a runner in the first, and retreated three hitters to earn his 17th save (13 relief victories), and to share the lead in the saves category with Doosan`s Jin Pil-Joong (30 save points).

The Lotte shut out 4-0 the Doosan with the cooperation of starter Sohn Min-Han and closer Park Suk-Jin (7th inning) to take the fourth place in 11 days since 12th. Sohn Min-Han is now leading the wins category recording 15 wins by the brilliant six scoreless inning outing with just two hits. The Lotte showed the rising tendency of three wins and a loss since a big gun Jose was suspended due to the bean ball affair.

Recording four straight wins with two wins over the Hyundai at Incheon, the SK is expecting to advance the playoffs, and the Hanhwa also resuscitated the hope for the playoffs with the 6-2 victory over the Samsung. Coupled with the second place Hyundai`s loss, the first place Samsung lessened the magic number for clinching the regular season title to one game in spite of the loss in the game.

Meanwhile, Samsung Lee Seung-Yeop hit his 39th home run in the first inning in game with the Hanhaw at Daegue on 22th, to lead the home run race over the second place suspended Jose (36 homers) and the third place Woods (34 homers).

Kim Sang-Soo ssoo@donga.com