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Sat, March 6, 2021 | 18:10
2014 Incheon Asian Games
S. Korea defends gold in baseball
냉온탕 오간 한국야구, 힘겹게 최강 확인
Posted : 2014-09-28 23:01
Updated : 2014-09-29 18:45
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Members of South Korea's national baseball team toss their head coach, Ryu Joong-il, in the air to celebrate their 6-3 victory over Chinese Taipei in the final at the Munhak Stadium in Incheon, Sunday. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
Members of South Korea's national baseball team toss their head coach, Ryu Joong-il, in the air to celebrate their 6-3 victory over Chinese Taipei in the final at the Munhak Stadium in Incheon, Sunday. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

By Baek Byung-yeul

Members of South Korea's national baseball team toss their head coach, Ryu Joong-il, in the air to celebrate their 6-3 victory over Chinese Taipei in the final at the Munhak Stadium in Incheon, Sunday. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
INCHEON ― The South Korean baseball team defended its Asian Games title after defeating Chinese Taipei 6-3 on a rainy Sunday night.

But the final road to the gold was disappointing, as the Koreans struggled throughout the match, even though they had routed their opponents in the group stage match, which ended with the application of the "mercy rule" in the eighth inning.

Almost 30,000 baseball fans at the Munhak Baseball Stadium in Incheon had to watch the Koreans fail to score until the fourth inning.

South Korea, arguably one of the world's baseball powerhouses, invested all it had in the Asiad gold. In contrast, the Chinese Taipei team consisted largely of amateur players.

To motivate the Koreans, the government had promised that players would be exempt from mandatory military service if they won gold.

In a surprise departure from the previous group match, Chinese Taipei ― the name under which Taiwan competes in international sports competitions ― earned three runs against South Korea's southpaw starting pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun, who is regarded as one of the best in the Korea Baseball Organization.

Kim allowed a triple to the first batter, Chen Pin Chieh. The second batter, Lin Han, grounded out but brought Chen home. Kim left the mound after allowing two runs in the sixth inning.

Meanwhile, Chinese Taipei's 18-year-old right-handed starter Kuo Chun Lin dominated the Korean hitters, who failed to score a run until the fourth.

In the fifth inning, Korea managed to turn the game around, scoring two runs with two hits combined with a throwing error, but Chinese Taipei took the lead back in the sixth inning, earning two runs.

South Korea's victory was sealed at the top of the eighth inning.

Center-fielder Min Byung-hun led off the inning with a single. After one out, left-fielder Kim Hyun-soo brought Min home with a single to make the game even, after which third baseman Hwang Jae-kyun knocked in two more runs with a single.

In the ninth inning, South Korea's closer, Bong Jung-keun, secured a win after taking two outs, replacing Lim Chang-yong.

South Korea has won four golds since baseball became an official sport in the Asiad Games.

Before the finals, Japan claimed bronze after defeating China 10-0. The game ended after the seventh inning under the mercy rule.


냉온탕 오간 한국야구, 힘겹게 최강 확인

한국야구가 28일 열린 2014 인천 아시안게임 결승에서 대만에 진땀승을 거두고 결국 5전 전승으로 금메달을 땄다.

이로써 2010년 광저우 대회에 이어 2회 연속 전승 우승을 일궜다.

한국은 야구가 1994년 히로시마 대회부터 아시안게임 정식 종목으로 채택된 이래 6개 대회를 치르며 4번째 정상에 올랐다.

임선동·문동환·조성민·진갑용 등 대학 대표를 내보낸 히로시마 대회에서는 일본을 넘지 못해 은메달을 땄다.

프로 선수가 출전할 수 있게 된 1998년 방콕 대회부터 한국 대표팀은 더 강해졌다.

방콕 대회에서 우리나라는 박찬호·서재응 등 해외파와 박재홍·임창용 등 국내 최고 선수가 어우러진 '드림팀 1기'로 나서 아시안게임 첫 금메달을 획득했다.

2002년 부산 대회에서도 금메달은 한국의 몫이었다.

하지만 자만에 빠져 2006년 도하 아시안게임에서는 한 수 아래 전력이라던 대만, 사회인 야구 선수가 주축이 된 일본에 패해 동메달을 따는 데 그쳤다. 한국야구가 잊지 못할 '도하 참사'다.

2010년 광저우 아시안게임에서는 메이저리거 추신수와 당시 일본프로야구 무대에서 뛴 김태균 등 해외파와 류현진, 윤석민 등 국내 정예멤버를 앞세워 다시 정상 자리를 되찾았다.

지난해 대만 타이중에서 열린 월드베이스볼클래식(WBC)에서 2006년 4강, 2009년 준우승의 쾌거를 잇지 못하고 1라운드에서 탈락하며 고개 숙인 한국 야구는 12년 만에 안방에서 열리는 이번 인천 아시안게임에서 명예회복을 별러왔다.

류중일 삼성 라이온즈 감독이 지휘봉을 잡은 이번 대표팀에 해외파는 단 한 명도 없다.

하지만 김광현·양현종, 박병호·강정호 등 국내 최고의 투수와 타자로 팀을 꾸려 아시안게임 2회 연속 금메달 사냥에 나섰다. 병역미필자 13명을 포함해 동기 유발도 시켰다.

한국은 이번 대회 조별리그에서 태국(15-0·5회), 대만(10-0·8회), 홍콩(12-0·7회)에 차례로 콜드게임 승리를 거두고 B조 1위로 무난히 준결승에 올랐다.

하지만 중국과 준결승에서 고전하다 7-2로 힘겹게 승리하고 결승 진출을 이뤘다.

결승에서 다시 만난 한 수 아래 전력의 대만에도 7회까지 2-3으로 끌려가며 다시 한번 나락에 빠지는 듯했다.

도하와 타이중에서의 참사가 안방 인천에서 재현되는 것 아니냐는 우려가 커졌다.

그렇지 않아도 경쟁국들의 수준 차가 커 대표팀의 연승 행진을 바라보는 시선이 곱지만은 않았던 터라 대만전 패배는 씻을 수 없는 상처로 남을 수 있었다.

하지만 막판 뒷심과 집중력으로 역전극을 펼치면서 힘겹게 아시아 최강 자리를 지켜냈다. (연합뉴스)
Emailbaekby@ktimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter









 
 
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