Battle of right-handers set for pivotal Game 3 in Korean Series

▲ In this file photo from Nov. 10, 2020, Choi Won-joon of the Doosan Bears pitches against the KT Wiz in the bottom of the first inning of Game 2 of the second round in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. (Yonhap)

▲ In this file photo from Oct. 24, 2020, Mike Wright of the NC Dinos pitches against the LG Twins in the top of the first inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Changwon NC Park in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)

Korean Series-Game 3 starters

Battle of right-handers set for pivotal Game 3 in Korean Series

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Nov. 19 (Yonhap) -- Two right-handers will go up against each other on Friday trying to give their team a lead in the ongoing South Korean baseball championship round.

The NC Dinos and the Doosan Bears have split the first two games of the Korean Series, with the third game scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Friday at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul.

The Dinos will send right-hander Mike Wright to the hill, while the Bears will have righty Choi Won-joon start.

Wright went 11-9 with a 4.68 ERA in 29 starts in his first Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) regular season. He faded badly down the stretch, with a 0-4 record and a 9.00 ERA in five October outings.

He faced the Bears four times and was 2-1 with a 4.09 ERA. He gave up 10 earned runs in 22 innings while striking out 16. Though Wright didn't serve up any home runs, he plunked four batters.

Park Kun-woo hit 6-for-13 with three doubles and three RBIs against Wright. Oh Jae-il batted 4-for-9 with two doubles against Wright, and he snapped out of a 0-for-15 postseason funk with a two-hit performance in Wednesday's Game 2.

Heo Kyoung-min and Jung Soo-bin had four hits apiece off the American right-hander.

Choi will be making his fourth postseason appearance and second start.

He pitched well in relief in the first round but lasted only 2 2/3 innings in a start against the KT Wiz in the next round. For this postseason, Choi has been charged with two earned runs in 5 1/3 frames.

Choi faced the Dinos five times during the regular season and gave up 11 earned runs in 8 1/3 innings for an 11.88 ERA, his worst mark against any opponent this year.

He also gave up four homers, including one each by cleanup Yang Eui-ji and dangerous No. 8 hitter Aaron Altherr.

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