2011 Korean Series
From BR Bullpen
The 2011 Korean Series is the 29th Korean Series. The Samsung Lions won their fifth title, topping the reigning champion SK Wyverns in five games; Samsung had lost to SK in the 2010 Korean Series.
Contents |
[edit] The Teams
[edit] SK Wyverns
[edit] Samsung Lions
[edit] The Games
- October 25: Samsung 2, SK 0. After getting swept last year, Samsung started strong in the rematch of the 2010 finalists. Doug Mathis, Woo-chan Cha, Ji-man An, Hyuk Kwon and Seung-hwan Oh combined on a five-pitcher shutout, Mathis getting yanked after four innings as he had survived several scares. In the 4th, Samsung got the game's only runs, off Hyo-joon Ko. DH Hyung-woo Choi doubled, LF Byung-kyu Kang was hit by a pitch and 2B Myung-chul Shin had a towering 2-run double to left.
- October 26: Samsung 2, SK 1. In another pitchers' duel at Daegu Baseball Stadium, the Lions again prevailed. SK starter Hee-sang Yoon was yanked in the first inning with a sore shoulder but Seung-ho Lee, Brian Gordon and Hee-soo Park provided fine relief. On the other side, Won-sam Jang whiffed 10 in 5 1/3 shutout innings for Samsung. The deadlock was broken in the 6th. Park allowed a hit and a walk but struck out two of the first four batters. Veteran catcher Kab-yong Jin then singled to load the bases. Rookie outfielder Young-seop Bae did his share with a 2-run single to give Samsung its only runs (and all it would need). SK challenged in the 8th. LF Jae-sang Park doubled, Jung Choi walked and Jung-kwon Park singled to make it 2-1. Jung-il Ryu turned to closer Seung-hwan Oh, who got the next two outs. 1B Dong-soo Choi singled to center, but the Samsung center fielder threw out Jung Choi at home. Oh then went 1-2-3 in the 9th. It was his fifth Korean Series save, a new career record.
- October 28: SK 2, Samsung 1. The Series remained pitcher-dominated in game 3, held at Munhak Stadium. Eun-beom Song tossed five shutout innings for SK but ran into trouble in the third. Samsung loaded the bases with one out but Song whiffed 1B Tae-in Chae and DH Hyung-woo Choi, Samsung's 3rd and 4th batters, to escape trouble. In the 4th, LF Bong-kyu Kang was on second for the Lions when C Kab-yong Jin singled to left; Kang tried to score but was thrown out at home by LF Jae-sang Park. Park then hit a solo homer to left off Justin Germano in the bottom of the inning. In the 5th, Germano served up another gopher ball, this one to DH Dong-soo Choi. Germano allowed just 3 hits in 5 innings but the two homers were enough to hand him the loss. Four relievers succeeded Song and also did well, allowing only a 8th-inning run, driven in by Hyun-woo Choi.
- October 29: Samsung 8, SK 4. The road team won for the first time, with the first real offensive show of the Series. A balanced SK offense leads the charge against former star Kwang-hyun Kim and four relievers. LF Jae-sang Park hits a 3-run homer for the losing side. 2B Keun-woo Jeong gets 3 hits for the winners.
- October 31: Samsung 1, SK 0. At Jamsil Ballpark, the Series reverts to a pitchers' duel. Woo-chan Cha tosses 7 shutout innings to lead Samsung to the Series win. LF Bong-kyu Kang provides all the game's offense, homering off Brian Gordon in the 4th inning. Seung-hwan Oh got his 3rd save of the Series, retiring all four batters he faces, to take home his second Korean Series MVP (he also won in 2005).
