Lee Byoung-kyu’s Consecutive Hit Streak Ends

It was LG’s last offensive chance in the top of the 9th inning.

A solo homer by the ninth-place hitter, Kim Woo-seok with two out dramatically brought 30-year-old Lee Byoung-kyu to the plate for his at bat. Lee didn’t hit in five at bats so far. He needed a hit at his last bat in order to continue his 25 game consecutive hit streak.

However, Hanhwa’s pitcher Cheong Jong-min threw three balls and followed with an inside ball far from the strike zone. It was a straight four-ball walk.

Lee failed to keep his consecutive hit streak going in the game of Hanhwa-LG of the 2004 Samsung Security Cup Pro Baseball in Daejeon Stadium on May 30. Lee batted fiercely with 5 hits and 4 RBIs in eight at bats, including 3 homers in a double-header against Hanhwa on May 29, but ended his march for consecutive hits with no hits in five at bats on the day.

Lee has been making progress step by step towards the 39-game hit streak record which was set by Samsung’s Park Jong-ho this year, but only made three ground-outs, one strike out and one pop-up on the day.

But his comeback for this season is impressive. He had to finish last season with the cross ligament in his knee broken while he was sliding just a year ago. Lee returned to Korea after he got surgery in Germany, and is averaging now over .300 through rehab training to recover his former title of “Red Earth Horse.”

LG managed a tie with a solo homer from Choi Dong-soo in the 6th inning with the leaded 2-3, and reversed the score with a timely hit from Cho In-seong making it 10-3 in the game.

Doosan won the come-from-behind victory by a score of 3-2 against Kia in Chamsil Stadium to have two consecutive wins. Doosan allowed 2 points in the first inning, but reversed the score on a tying hit from Kim Chang-hee and a winning hit from Son Si-heon with a runner on 2nd base, two outs and being leaded by 1-2 in the bottom of the 7th inning.

Samsung-Hyundai in Daegu and Lotte-SK in Sajik were canceled because of rain.

Sang-Soo Kim ssoo@donga.com