Park Has Tough Road Ahead

Park Chan-Ho (31) of the Texas Rangers shrunk back in the 6th inning after he threw a 150km fastball to Tino Martinez of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Park knew right away he had delivered a careless pitch.

Martinez launched a homer, which flew into the right-field stands with a parabolic curve and left the right fielder stranded. The lead was cut to one.

Park Chan-Ho felt more at a loss because he thought he had escaped a critical moment earlier in the inning when he had secured two outs thanks to a strike out and an interference call on a batter before he had to face Martinez.

Manager Buck Showalter stepped on the mound and as Park handed over the ball and stepped down to the dugout, harsh words came out of his mouth. It was apparent that he was suffering from a guilty conscience.

Park Chan-Ho`s victory was blown away when Texas lefty Erasmo Ramirez gave away a home run to the Devil Rays in the 7th inning and allowed another solo homer to Martinez in the 9th inning to lose 4-5. Texas`s five-game winning streak ended at that moment.

In the match up between Texas and Tampa Bay on the 5th, which took place in Texas at the Ball Park at Arlington, Park threw well, only to lose by not passing the crisis, and failed to capture victory. Park walked 3, struck out 5 and allowed 3 runs and 6 hits in 5 and two-thirds innings. Park has recorded 1 win and 3 losses for the season and notched an ERA of 5.50.

Park prevented concentrations of hits, but gave away three solo-home runs in 1st, 5th and 6th innings. Texas took the lead 4-1 through out the 4th inning so it should be the starter`s responsibility for not keeping the 3-run lead. Park was in no position to blame the reliever who gave away the game-tying home run.

Sang-Soo Kim ssoo@donga.com