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| Im Chan-kyu / Photo=DB |
[Sports Today reporter Kang Tae-gu] Im Chan-kyu pitched well enough to qualify for the win but came up short of recording his 1st victory.
Im took the mound on March 29 at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in the 2026 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League home game against the KT Wiz. He worked 5 innings, allowing 6 hits, 1 strikeout, 2 walks and 3 runs.
He threw 80 pitches, mixing 31 fastballs, 18 curveballs, 9 sliders and 22 changeups. His top velocity was 143 km/h (88.9 mph).
Im was shaky in the 1st inning. He surrendered a leadoff single to Choi Won-joon but erased the runner on a caught stealing. After issuing a walk to Kim Hyun-soo, he gave up a two-out RBI double to Ahn Hyun-min.
He then fanned Hilliard, but allowed an RBI double to Jang Sung-woo, followed by singles from Kim Sang-soo and Heo Kyung-min, which increased the deficit to three runs.
From the 2nd inning on, he settled down. He induced groundouts from Lee Kang-min, Choi Won-joon and Kim Hyun-soo to record a 1-2-3 inning.
In the 3rd, Im continued to be efficient, retiring Ahn Hyun-min, Hilliard and Jang Sung-woo on just five pitches.
In the 4th, he got the leadoff batter Kim Sang-soo to hit a grounder to third and, after allowing a single to Heo Kyung-min, escaped further damage by turning a double play on Han Seung-taek.
With his team holding a 5-3 lead in the top of the 5th, Im issued a walk to Lee Kang-min but induced groundouts from Choi Won-joon, Kim Hyun-soo and Ahn Hyun-min, which made him eligible for the win.
However, when reliever Kim Jin-sung, making his 2nd appearance, allowed the tying run in the top of the 6th, Im’s chance at the victory vanished.
[Sports Today reporter Kang Tae-gu sports@stoo.com]
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