The Fire Fighters achieved a thrilling 6-game winning streak, showcasing their solid mound and batting lineup to the viewers.
In episode 10 of the baseball entertainment program 'Fire Baseball', released on the official Studio C1 YouTube channel on the 7th, the Fire Fighters defeated the Seoul Seongnam High School, the champion of the 79th Golden Lion Cup National High School Baseball Tournament, with a score of 9:2, thanks to Lee Dae-eun's 6 innings of scoreless quality start and the explosive performance of the 7, 8, and 9 batters.
Starting pitcher Lee Dae-eun completely shut down the Seongnam High lineup with perfect pitching. Utilizing a knuckle curve as his decisive pitch, he perfectly disrupted the timing of the opposing batters, demonstrating that 'class is eternal.'
On the other hand, Jo Yoon-ho, who received the Best Pitcher award at the Golden Lion Cup Championship, took the mound for Seongnam High. Although he appeared nervous and struggled with his control, he quickly regained his composure and retired the innings. He held the Fire Fighters' lineup to a 'no-hit no-run' until the 3rd inning.
The game began to shake from the 4th inning. Lee Dae-eun allowed a hit to an opposing batter, and a catching error by Park Jae-wook put him in a tough spot. A surprise bunt from Seongnam High further complicated the situation, but Lee Dae-eun, along with Lee Dae-ho, showcased calm defense to end the inning.
Afterward, the Fire Fighters seized the opportunity against Jo Yoon-ho, who was struggling with his control, by drawing a straight walk. When the first pitch to Jeong Ui-yoon went far outside, Seongnam High unhesitatingly replaced the pitcher with Oh Hoon-taek, the MVP of the Golden Lion Cup.
Although Jeong Ui-yoon and Lee Taek-geun were retired by Oh Hoon-taek's precise pitching, the Fire Fighters' strength was formidable. After two outs, Jeong Seong-hoon, Park Jae-wook, and Kim Jae-ho hit consecutive singles, putting them ahead 2:0. The lower batting order of the Fire Fighters, which had been responsible for the laughs in the previous broadcast, showcased their 'genius in their main job' after a long time.
Riding the momentum, the Fire Fighters extended their lead. With consecutive hits from Lee Dae-ho and Jeong Ui-yoon, they made it 3:0, prompting Seongnam High to replace the pitcher with left-hander Moon Jeong-seo. The Fire Fighters players struggled to hide their confusion against Moon Jeong-seo's fast form and slow pitches, but ultimately, thanks to the opposing pitcher's balk and walks, they pulled ahead to 6:0.
In the 7th inning, 'mysteriously faster' Yoo Hee-kwan took the mound. After he allowed consecutive hits, manager Kim Seong-keun came to the mound to advise, "The ball is fast." Jeong Geun-woo warned Yoo Hee-kwan, "You don't want to give up runs, right? I can go for a pick-off." Subsequently, Yoo Hee-kwan executed a fantastic pick-off play with Jeong Geun-woo, retiring the runner at second base. It was a play that showcased the cunning of 'foxes in bear's clothing.'
In the bottom of the 7th, the Fire Fighters added a run with a bases-loaded walk after hits from Lee Taek-geun, Jeong Seong-hoon, and Park Jae-wook. With only 3 runs left to reach a mercy rule, Jeong Geun-woo hit a single, extending the lead to 9:0.
However, complacency often leads to crises. The Fire Fighters carelessly surrendered a run due to consecutive errors by third baseman Jeong Seong-hoon and first baseman Lee Dae-ho. Later, Seongnam High's captain Lee Seo-jun hit a single against Yoo Hee-kwan, making it 9:2. However, there were no further crises. In the top of the 9th, the Fire Fighters turned Seongnam High's batters into pop-ups and double plays, successfully achieving a thrilling 6-game winning streak.
Next week on 'Fire Baseball', the Fire Fighters, with their heightened batting skills, will face Seongnam High, who are challenging again with 'crazy energy' in the second match. The Fire Fighters are said to be facing their first loss since their establishment...
Meanwhile, episode 10 of 'Fire Baseball' surpassed 100,000 concurrent viewers just 10 minutes after its premiere. The peak concurrent viewership reached 238,000, demonstrating the intense interest in 'Fire Baseball.'
Additionally, 'Fire Baseball' revealed the opposing teams for the relay viewing scheduled for July. On July 13 at 6 PM at Ulsan Munsoo Stadium, they will face Gangneung High School, on July 20 at 2 PM at Gocheok Sky Dome, they will compete against Dong-A University, and on July 27 at Incheon Munhak Stadium, they will battle against the independent league representative team.
[Lee Da-kyum, Star Today Reporter]
