Chan-ho’s 4th Win In a Row. “You See How Excellent I Can Pitch”

Regained Korean Express Park Chan-ho (29, Texas Rangers) recorded his season 8th win, which is also the 4th in a row. Park, however, was thrown just before his first season complete game by appealing from an umpire’s decision.

In an away against Tempa Bay on Sep. 8th at the Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, Park pitched 8 and 1/3 innings. He allowed only 7 hits and 2 scores. Rangers won the game 11-2.

Thus, Park has consistently demonstrated perfect performance from the game against Yankees. For the last 4 games all of which Park won, he allowed 7 ERA (on average, 2.25) and recorded his season 8th win (6 losses) and pulled down his ERA to 6.00.

It’s Park’s second career 4-game winning streak since the first one in September of 2000 when he wore the uniform of L.A. Dodgers. In addition, Park added 6 more strikeouts, recording his 101st season strikeout and exceeding 100 strikeouts in 7 straight years. He is just one short of his 1,200th career strikeout.

Park is expected to pitch in 4 more games and easily record 10 wins in 6 straight years.

Up to 8th, Park demonstrated a perfect control and gave out no walk. Park easily finished the 1st by blocking Randy Win’s steal to the second base. In the 2nd, he loaded the first and third bases with 2 hits. But he sealed off the inning with a double play. Then, in the 7th, he just allowed one single homer. Without it, he never allowed the second base loaded.

Rangers’ batters, boosted by Park’s excellent pitching, scored one in the 2nd with Rivera’s sacrifice, and 3 in the 3rd with Perri’s 3 homerun, turning the game for Rangers early in the game 5-0. Perri’s home run made a tie record. His homer in the 3rd is the 25th in a row.

But in the 9th, Park allowed base on ball to 4 batters in a row, after getting the first batter out in a pop-out to the right fielder. As a result, he passed the mound to Rudy Seanez. In the process, Park appealed from the umpire’s decision and got thrown out of the game. Fortunately, Seanez closed the game with a double play and added no more ERA to Park.

Park is not expected to be prohibited from playing in the next game, and thus will pitch in the home game on September 13 against Seattle Mariners where Suzuki Ischiro plays. Hopefully, Park could record his 9th win, adding one more game to his winning streak.

Hwan-Soo Zang zangpabo@donga.com