Opposing managers in the South Korean baseball championship series offered decidedly different reactions after the opening game was suspended due to rain Monday.

In a first in Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) postseason history, Game 1 of the Korean Series between the home team Kia Tigers and the Samsung Lions was suspended with the Lions up 1-0 in the top of the sixth inning at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, 270 kilometers south of Seoul.

The game is scheduled to resume from the point of termination at 4 p.m. Tuesday. The Lions had two runners aboard with nobody out. Game 2 will also be played Tuesday, following the completion of the first game.

The start of the game was delayed by just over an hour due to intermittent showers. Lions manager Park Jin-man said after the suspension that he wished the game had never even started.

“I am a firm believer that when it rains early and the forecast calls for more, then we shouldn’t start,” Park said. “It helps teams protect their players better. We all
knew today that it would rain this evening, and I thought we shouldn’t have started. I didn’t think players on both teams would be at their best in these conditions.”

Despite inclement weather, Lions starter Won Tae-in fired five shutout innings. With his pitch count at just 66, he would certainly have come out for the sixth inning.

“I was worried that I might end up wasting a starting pitcher. Won Tae-in was pitching a great game, and he was efficient with his pitch count, too,” Park said. “I am disappointed with this on a lot of levels.”

Also frustrating for Park was the fact that the Lions had just taken the 1-0 lead on Kim Hun-gon’s solo shot off starter James Naile.

Naile walked the next batter before getting the hook for Jang Hyun-sik, who walked his first batter to put two runners on.

“We had just seized the momentum with the home run, and now it’s gone,” Park said. “Now we’ll be essentially playing a doubleheader tomorrow. Honestly, I am sorry that my players have to go through this.”

Tigers man
ager Lee Bum-ho said he didn’t mind the game being suspended at that very moment, with Jang behind the count on the power-hitting Kim Young-woong at 1-0.

Lee said he felt his players had seemed a bit overwhelmed by the occasion — playing the first game of the championship round in front of home fans — but getting six-plus innings under their belt Monday night should help them mentally for Tuesday.

“I wanted them to stay calm, but I think they looked a bit nervous and excited,” Lee said. “Hopefully, they will have regained their composure by tomorrow. We will try to address whatever shortcomings we had in this game and get ready for a fresh start.”

Asked if he thought the game should have started in rainy conditions, Lee said: “It’s not for us to decide. The KBO and the umpiring crew make those calls, and our job is to follow their decision.”

“I do think it will help us that this game was put on hold,” Lee added. “We don’t mind having to finish this game tomorrow.”

With more rain in the forecast for Tue
sday, the teams may be forced to return to action Wednesday afternoon instead.

Source: Yonhap News Agency