No pep talk from Dinos manager after 1st loss in KBO postseason

NC Dinos manager Kang In-kwon watches his team play the KT Wiz in Game 3 in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason at Changwon NC Park in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, Nov. 2. Yonhap

After the NC Dinos suffered their first loss of this Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) postseason Thursday night, manager Kang In-kwon didn't see any need to deliver a special message or a pep talk.

The Dinos were shut out by the KT Wiz 3-0 in Game 3 of the second round at Changwon NC Park in the southeastern town of Changwon. They had won their previous six games in this year's postseason, and nine in a row dating to their previous postseason appearance in 2020, tied for the longest winning streak in KBO postseason history.

A win Thursday would have sent the Dinos to the Korean Series. They now have to secure a victory Friday evening or have to beat the Wiz on the road Sunday in a deciding Game 5.

To some, the situation may seem to call for a clubhouse meeting to regroup the squad, but Kang took a different path.

"Right now, I felt it would be better for the players if I just gave them a slap on the back and share some laughs on the field," Kang said Friday in his media scrum prior to Game 4 at Changwon NC Park. "I don't necessarily have to call a meeting now. These guys are playing well and giving the best they have."

Oh Young-soo of the NC Dinos hits a single against the KT Wiz during Game 3 of the second round in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason at Changwon NC Park in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, Nov. 2. Yonhap

The trust Kang has in his players is such that he didn't make any lineup change even after their anemic performance Thursday. The Dinos managed only five singles and have now been held scoreless in their past 15 innings.

"I thought long and hard about making changes to the batting order, or even putting in a new player," Kang said. "Ultimately, I decided the guys who've been in the starting lineup are still in much better form than the guys on the bench."

Kang is sticking with Jason Martin as his cleanup, even though the center fielder has gone hitless in 12 at-bats in this series. Before Thursday's game, Kang had said he was hoping Martin would finally break through. He sang the same tune Friday.

"I think KT starters have been pitching well and they've come prepared against Martin," Kang said. "In spite of all that, Martin still has to give us some spark. He's been struggling for the past three games, so hopefully, he's due to break out today." (Yonhap)