The Lotte Giants will attempt to return to the five-win column with the resurgent Charlie Barnes (28).
Barnes, who was re-signed last year after going 12-12 with a 3.62 ERA in his first season in the KBO, 카지노사이트 struggled in the first half of the season. After going 1-1 with a 7.58 ERA in four games in April, Barnes seemed to bounce back with a 2-1 record and a 1.82 ERA in four games in May, but he has since gone back and forth between good and bad, frustrating Lotte and its fans.
His worst outing of the first half came on July 13 against the NC Dinos, when he gave up six runs in 1 1/3 innings, and he and Dan Streeley, who was also struggling, were in talks to be replaced. Lotte eventually replaced Streeley with Aaron Wilkerson, and Barnes is proving to be the right choice.
After going 5-6 with a 4.57 ERA in 16 appearances in the first half of the season, Barnes turned things around in the second half, going 4-0 with a 1.15 ERA in five games. In the second half alone, he leads the league in ERA over KT Wiz‘s quality start machine Ko Young-pyo (1.55). Barnes has also extended his streak to 15 consecutive scoreless innings, including 5⅔ scoreless innings against the Kiwoom Heroes on April 8 and seven innings of one-run ball against the KIA Tigers on April 13.
As Wilkerson and Barnes have established themselves as a one-two punch, Lotte has been on a roll. With an 8-2 record in their last 10 games, LOTTE has conquered the 50-win plateau for the season (.495 winning percentage in 51 games) and improved their win-loss margin to -1 from a low of -7.
After a comfortable midweek three-game sweep of the SSG Landers at home, LOTTE returns to action in eight days when it hosts the Kiwoom Heroes for a fourth consecutive series. Lotte has lined up Yoon Dong-hee (right fielder), Kim Min-seok (center fielder), Yoo Kang-nam (designated hitter), Jeon Jun-woo (left fielder), Ahn Chi-hong (first baseman), Noh Jin-hyuk (shortstop), Jeong Jung-geun (catcher), Park Seung-wook (second baseman), and Lee Hak-joo (third baseman), with Barnes starting.
Meanwhile, Kiwoom, looking to snap a two-game losing streak, has a batting order of Lee Yong-kyu (left fielder), Kim Hye-sung (second baseman), Dawson (designated hitter), Kim Hui-jip (shortstop), Song Sung-moon (third baseman), Joo Sung-won (right fielder), Lee Joo-hyung (center fielder), Jeon Byung-woo (first baseman), and Kim Xiang (catcher). Ian McKinney (1-6, 5.98 ERA) will start on the mound.