Hong Won-Ki Gave His Team Win and Loss

Heaven was not that far from hell.

These days, Doosan Manager Kim In-Sik has been perplexed at the notched play of infielder Hong Won-Ki. Manager Kim complained after a loss in game one that the game was screw up due to Hong Won-Ki. However, Manager Kim praised after a victory in game two that Hong Won-Ki brought the victory into the team.

The semi-playoffs MVP, Hong Won-Ki participated in the playoff game one full of a hope, but provided a cause of the team`s loss by committing an unexpected fielding error. Disappointed Hong left the desolate ground receiving the consolation from the teammates.

With the burden coming from the decisive error in game one left, Hong has been trying to restore his honor, but the chance hardly came by. Rather Hong showed the instability in the defense, and has failed to hit ball with the tensed arms at bats. Hong said, ``The too-tensed compulsiveness to make up the previous error rather ruined my play in the offense as well as in the defense.``

In the seventh inning with a runner on the first and no-out, Hong thought of this as a big chance, the Manager ordered to hit a bunt. Was it because he was too anxious? As Hong failed two attempts to bunt, he faced the critical moment in which the nightmare of game one might revive. However, Hong arched a two-run homer with a fifth pitch of Hyundai pitcher Kim Soo-Kyung to decide the game. Hong Won-Ki said after the game, ``I thought desperately it was over, but a failure of bunt attempt rather brought into the luck.``

Taking the position of injured Kim Min-Ho, Hong Won-Ki rose as a biggest newsmaker in the postseason. As a main cause of team`s win as well as its loss, Hong said it was so hard for him to adjust to the Suwon Stadium, in which he has never played in the regular season. On the other hand, because he never recorded an error in Jamshil Stadium in which the rest of playoff games will be held, he is now so confident.

Hong Won-Ki swung between a traitor and a hero for two days. What kind of play will he show in the rest of games?

Kim Jong-Seok kjs0123@donga.com