Wang Yen-Cheng sets KBO career-high with 7 strong innings, secures 5th win

Central News Agency (Taipei, May 22) Hanwha Eagles Taiwanese pitcher Wang Yen-Cheng started against the Doosan Bears today, pitching 7 innings, allowing 2 runs, and striking out 6, setting a new career-high for innings pitched in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). With the team's 5-3 victory, Wang secured his third consecutive win and his fifth of the season. Wang allowed a hit to Park Ji-hoon in the first inning but managed to get three outs. He retired the side in order in the second and third innings. In the fourth, he allowed a second hit to Park but escaped the inning with a strikeout and a double play. He retired six consecutive batters in the fifth and sixth innings. The Hanwha lineup scored a run in the bottom of the first off Doosan starter Kwak Been and added two more in the bottom of the sixth after Kwak was pulled, extending the lead to 3-0. In the seventh, Wang gave up a hit to Park for the third time, followed by another hit and a walk, creating a bases-loaded, no-out crisis. He gave up 2 runs on a hit by Yang Eui-ji, but then induced a double play to preserve the lead. Wang's previous career-high in the KBO was 6.1 innings. Today, he threw 87 pitches, allowed 5 hits, gave up 2 runs, struck out 6, and walked 1, with a top speed of 149 km/h. His ERA after the game is 2.72. The lineup added 2 runs in the bottom of the seventh, ensuring the run allowed by the bullpen in the eighth did not affect the outcome.