SSG Landers foreign pitcher Roenis Elias dropped his head after hitting a two-run home run from pinch hitter Kim Seong-wook in the 8th inning while he was pitching without allowing any runs. 

Elias pitched well in the first game of the semi-playoff (quasi-PO) against NC Dinos, ranked 4th in the regular season, held at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on the 22nd, allowing 4 hits and 2 runs in 8 innings. However, SSG lost 3-4 amid silence in the batting lineup. 짱구카지노

Elias remained the losing pitcher that day, but did his part on the mound. He only had a pitch count of 88 while pitching 8 innings. He allowed 4 hits and struck out 6. The only hit was the ‘8th inning home run’. 

Elias recorded 8 wins, 6 losses, and an average ERA of 3.70 in 22 games this season. He was brought in last May as a replacement for Annie Romero, who did not appear in a single game due to a shoulder injury. 

Elias was somewhat disappointed in his ability to fill the void of ‘ace’ Romero in the regular season. His control wasn’t bad, but his hitting percentage was high and he didn’t look powerful on the mound. 

Elias recently showed off his ability as a ‘big game feature’. He was selected as the starting pitcher for the Doosan Bears game held at Jamsil Stadium on the 16th. At the time, both Elias and Kim Kwang-hyun were available in the rotation, but coach Kim Won-hyung chose Elias. SSG was in 4th place, 0.5 games behind NC. Elias led the team to a 3-2 victory that day, allowing 4 hits and 1 run in 7 innings. On the same day, NC lost 2-4 to KIA, and SSG rose to 3rd place. Elias played a decisive role in SSG finishing in third place this regular season. 

Coach Won-Hyung Kim, who was waiting for a team that finished 3rd in the regular season and passed the wild card game, chose Elias again this time. 

Elias pitched without allowing a run until the 7th inning of the first game of the semi-PO. He continued his no-hit pitch until the fourth inning with one out, and after one out, he was hit by successive hits by Park Min-woo and Park Geon-woo, putting him in danger of scoring. However, Jason Martin and Kwon Hee-dong were out in numbers 4 and 5. Afterwards, he was thrown out in three consecutive offenses in the 5th, 6th, and 7th innings.

Elias allowed an infield hit to leadoff hitter Seo Ho-cheol in the top of the 8th inning when the game was tied 0-0. When Kim Hyeong-jun’s subsequent sacrifice bunt headed straight for him, he picked up the ball and threw the preceding runner out with an accurate throw to second base, changing the atmosphere. However, he was disappointed as the 139 km/h changeup he threw to pinch hitter Kim Hyeong-jun was hit, resulting in a two-run home run. 

SSG prepares Kirk McCarty, who missed the end of the regular season due to an internal oblique muscle injury, as a bullpen pitcher in the semi-PO. Gwang-Hyun Kim will appear as the starting pitcher in Game 2. 

Elias, who took the mound in Game 1 with a heavy responsibility, collapsed with a single home run in the 8th inning.