Colorado’s Two Kims Win Back to Back

“49+51=100”

The Colorado Rockies’ two Kim pitchers, Kim Byung-hyun (26) and Kim Sun-woo (28), have won two straight games. Kim Byung-hyun’s uniform number is 49, and Kim Sun-woo’s number is 51. Together, the two Kims have scored a perfect 100 in pitching.

On September 4, Kim Byung-hyun won his fifth game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field, Colorado, allowing five hits, one walk, four strikeouts, and one run over six innings.

With his win, Kim Byung-hyun won two games in a row following a game against San Francisco Giants on August 30. Kim, who had recorded 96 strikeouts up until his last game, reached his 100th strikeout by adding four strikeouts. Kim also lowered his ERA from 4.90 to 4.74.

Kim Byung-hyun’s pitching, which has revived starting late August, again shined on that day. Kim’s ball was twisting, and the angle and tempo of his breaking ball was also brilliant. Kim’s only point lost was in the fourth inning with no out and one on third-base when Kim allowed a timely hit to Olmedo Saenz.

Colorado’s batting lineup that has always remained silent also burst on that day. In the fifth inning when the two teams were tied with 1-1, Brad Hawpe (three run), and Garrett Atkins (one run) hit homers in their second straight at-bats. In the same inning with two outs and one on second-base, Kim himself got a timely hit off of Los Angeles pitcher DJ Houlton and drove in one run.

In addition, Kim Byung-hyun won a complete victory against Choi Hee-seop, his one-year junior at Gwangju Jeil High School. Choi hit a grounder to the shortstop in the first inning, hit a sacrifice fly to left-fielder in the third inning, and Kim finally made Choi hit a grounder into a double play to second base in the sixth inning. Choi had no hits in his three at-bats. The Colorado Rockies won, 11-1.

Meanwhile, on September 3, Kim Sun-woo won his fourth game as a starter, allowing six hits, four bases-on-balls, four strikeouts, and one run over five and 1/3 innings. Kim Sun-woo’s pitching was not very good, but he showed a remarkable ability to manage jams in the innings he pitched. Kim Sun-woo has won three consecutive games with his win on September 3 dating back to his outing against the Chicago Cubs on August 22.

uni@donga.com