Park Chan-ho Gets First Win of Year

Park Chan-ho (33, San Diego Padres) notched his first victory of the season yesterday at Coors Field in Colorado.

Park started against the Colorado Rockies, and got the win after throwing seven innings and allowing nine hits, two walks, four strikeouts, and four runs. Park now has 107 total career wins.

Park made 104 pitches yesterday; 69 went for strikes. His fastest ball was clocked at 150km/h (93mph). Park’s ERA fell from 5.59 to 4.86.

Coors Field is known have thinner air; which works against pitchers by giving less air resistance to balls hit by batters.

Park displayed solid control—something rarely seen in his recent past—and recorded his first quality start (defined as a game ERA under three over six or more innings of pitching) this season. Park effectively held down the Rockies lineup, including his natural enemy Todd Helton. Helton, who has a lifetime .306 batting average, four homeruns and six RBIs against Park, was hitless in three at bats. Rockies sluggers Garrett Atkins and Matt Holiday were also kept at bay with no hits.

Park allowed one run until the fifth inning when Miguel Ojeda hit a solo homerun that went over the left field fence. Three more base hits loaded the bases, but Park managed to dodge the bullet by getting Atkins and Holiday with fly outs.

San Diego’s lineup took a load off Park’s shoulders by bombarding Rockies with 19 hits, ending the game 13-4.

In other news, AAA leaguer Choi Hee-seop hit a solo homerun at yesterday’s match against Durham. This was Choi’s second homerun in the minor leagues. Recovering from a thigh injury, Kim Byung-hyun (Colorado Rockies) pitched three and 2/3 innings against Portland in a triple-A game. Kim allowed three runs and three hits while striking out four.

uni@donga.com