Kim Byeong-Hyun, Save `1`

Kim Byeong-Hyun (23. Arizona Diamondbacks) won the season’s first save, and managed to shake off his nightmare from last year’s World Series.

The out-match with the U.S. Major League’s Milwaukee Brewers took place on the 7th. As Kim stepped onto the mound in the 9th inning winning by 6-3, he secured the team’s victory by saving the inning with 2 strikeouts, no hit, and no error.

Winning the season’s first save, Kim is continuing on his no-hit run since the match with San Diego Padres on the 3rd. He has scored 4 strikeouts.

Arizona’s coach Bob Brenly went easy from the 8th inning and let bullpen pitchers in, as start-up Randy Johnson ruled the game with 12 strikeouts, 5 hits, and 1 loss point until the 7th inning, widening the score gap by 6-1. However, as Bret Prinz and Mike Myers fell apart giving up 2 points, Kim was in from the 9th inning.

Kim’s pitching was power itself. The first batter Jose Hernandez and Raul Casanova could not even touch the ball, and they both swung to strikeouts.

Although pinch-hitter Lenny Harris ran out alive after 2 outs, Kim maintained stable and managed to conclude the game by handling top-batter Eric Young with a ground ball.

Meanwhile, Park Chan-Ho, who is currently on the Disabled List, is known to have no problem except some muscular pain in back thigh, said the MRI results. He began on full-scale recovery training, doing some light pitching on the 7th.

Park went out to Ballpark in Arlington to do catch-ball on plain, rather than on bullpen. He threw balls for about 10 minutes, and also added some weight training later, raising possibility of his comeback on the 18th.

On the day, Texas recorded 1 win and 5 defeats in 6 games since the opening of the season, as Irabu became the losing pitcher in the home-match with Anaheim Angels.

Hwan-Soo Zang zangpabo@donga.com