The match between 'Fire Fighters and Yeoncheon Miracle' provided a variety of excitement, transitioning from a pitching duel to a batting battle.
Held on August 31 at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, this game attracted intense interest from baseball fans as it was the third live broadcast in the team's history. The Fire Fighters, who had won both previous live broadcasts, faced the 'independent baseball powerhouse' Yeoncheon Miracle and unfortunately lost 3-4. Although they tasted the pain of defeat for the first time in a while, the viewers' reactions remained enthusiastic.
The game aired as a 'special baseball live broadcast' on SBS Plus, recording a peak viewership rating of 1.4% (Nielsen Korea paid broadcasting standard in the metropolitan area). Notably, the nationwide peak viewership reached 275,467, proving the absolute love from the audience.
Manager Kim Sung-keun, known as 'the God of Baseball', started Yu Hee-kwan as the starting pitcher against Yeoncheon Miracle, managed by his former colleague Kim In-sik. Choi Soo-hyun, who had been a part of both teams and sparked curiosity about which team he would join, donned the Fire Fighters uniform and started as the right fielder. Lim Sang-woo, who is awaiting the draft, played as the shortstop, contributing to the strong lineup. In response, Manager Kim In-sik placed the seasoned pitcher Jin Hyun-woo on the mound, kicking off a strategic battle with Manager Kim Sung-keun.
With a fierce pitching duel expected, Yu Hee-kwan showcased perfect control and experienced game management, keeping the opposing batters at bay. However, Jin Hyun-woo also used his fast velocity to leave the Fire Fighters batters helpless. Thus, the 'pitching duel' continued with both teams failing to score until the 6th inning, and it was the Fire Fighters who first broke the 'zero balance'. In the bottom of the 7th, Choi Soo-hyun reached base on a walk, creating a scoring opportunity, and the Fire Fighters delivered a 'promised 7th inning' to the fans. With Jeong Geun-woo's hit, Lim Sang-woo's double, Park Yong-taek's sacrifice fly, and Lee Dae-ho's hit, the Fire Fighters scored three runs. Manager Kim Sung-keun then brought Lee Dae-eun and Shin Jae-young to the mound. Additionally, Manager Kim Sung-keun implemented a strategy to strengthen defense by inserting Kim Jae-ho as the shortstop. However, Yeoncheon Miracle turned the game around in the top of the 8th with Hwang Sang-jun's miraculous grand slam. Facing an unprecedented crisis in the live broadcast, the Fire Fighters managed to stop Yeoncheon Miracle's attack in the final 9th inning but could not score additional runs.
As the Fire Fighters faced a disappointing loss, Manager Kim In-sik of Yeoncheon Miracle expressed his heartfelt feelings through a post-game interview, a unique charm of live broadcasts. He said, "Thanks to the players not giving up and fighting until the end, I think we had a wonderful game. I dedicate this glory to the players." He continued, "This victory was truly the best in my baseball life. Having played baseball for 70 years, I feel good to have won against Manager Kim Sung-keun. However, it seems that Manager Kim Sung-keun is angry," which brought laughter.
Finally, Manager Kim In-sik expressed gratitude for the live broadcast, stating, "It is truly the first time that an independent baseball team's game has been broadcast live." He added, "It is unfortunate that independent baseball is still not well known, but thanks to the supporters, Yeoncheon Miracle has reached its 10th year. Recently, several players from the independent league have been active in the KBO. If you show more interest in teams like ours, better players will emerge, so I would appreciate your continued support," evoking a sense of emotion.
With each game delivering legendary matches and hot topics, anticipation builds for what team SBS Plus 'Special Baseball Live Broadcast - Fire Fighters' will face next.
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
