‘Emerging Ace’ Na Kyun-an – ‘Perfect Resurrected Ace’ Koo Chang-mo, who will win the season’s first Nakdong River Derby in their first confrontation?

Are you ’emerging ace’ Na Kyun-an (Lotte Giants)? Are you Chang-mo Koo (NC Dinos), the ‘perfectly resurrected ace’?

Lotte is in high spirits as it reaps a winning series against the KIA Tigers at Sajik’s home. In particular, in the match against KIA on the 18th, with a thrilling come-from-behind victory in the second half, starting from the end of the 2021 season and failing to beat KIA in resignation in the 2022 season, the sadness of losing 9 consecutive home games was washed away at once.

If this upward trend continues in the 3 consecutive matches against NC on the weekend, it is an opportunity to rise above the 50% win rate and rise to the top.

NC, which maintained its lead despite the difficulties of new foreign pitcher Taylor Widener and hitter Jason Martin suffering injuries one after another, recently ended its three consecutive winning series against LG in Jamsil during the week with a losing series. In order to maintain the top spot, another winning series is needed.

Now, in the first edition of the Nakdong River Derby this season, Na Gyun-an and Koo Chang-mo, who are sure to win, met for the first time ever.

Na Kyun-ahn has become a sure win-guaranteed check at once, marking the third year since he switched from catcher to pitcher.

They have won all 3 games this season. Although he is tied for first place in most wins, he is the only pitcher with three wins as a starting pitcher. His earned run average is also 6th with a 1.45.

Dan Strayley (2 losses) and Charlie Barnes (1 loss), the foreign one-two punchers of Lotte, have established themselves as clear aces with no victory yet. Although it is still in the early stages, it is safe to say that it is thanks to Na Gyun-an that Lotte is maintaining the mid-table without being swept even once.

In particular, Kyun-an Na is Lotte’s clear ace this year and is playing 100% of the role of stopper for losing streak.

After losing the opening game against Doosan on April 1st, he started the second game and saved the team from a losing streak with안전놀이터 quality plus pitching in 206 days with perfect pitching of 6⅔innings, 5 hits, 4 strikeouts, and no runs. On the 9th, against KT, 7 innings He saved the team from three straight losses with a scoreless goal, and had to suffer the first sweep of the season without Na Kyun-an in the match against Samsung on the 15th.

Compared to this Na Kyun-an, Gu Chang-mo’s beginning was not very good.

He failed to get past five innings in both appearances of the season. On the 2nd, Samsung Electronics gave up 6 runs in 4⅓ innings, and in the match against Kiwoom on the 8th, it was sluggish with 4 runs (2 earned runs) in 4⅔ innings, but in the match against SSG on the 15th, it was perfectly revived with 3 hits, 1 walk, 9 strikeouts and no runs in 8⅔ innings. He showed that he was completely free from injury by throwing 100 balls, the most ever.

Moreover, the reason why the face-to-face confrontation between Na Kyun-an and Koo Chang-mo is interesting is that they showed a strong side to each other.

Na Kyun-an has played four NC matches so far, but has only been selected once. On August 5, the first day of his full-fledged change of position to starter after serving both as a starter and a bullpen last year, he won the victory with 6 innings, 3 hits, 4 strikeouts and no runs against NC. It was only the 34th game in his professional career and only the 11th selection.

Koo Chang-mo was also strong against Lotte. It is 8 wins and 3 losses in 16 games in total, but it is 5 consecutive wins in 6 games after winning with 5 hits, 8 strikeouts and 1 run in 5 innings against Changwon Lotte on May 29, 2019. He has an earned run average of only 1.55 with 23 hits (3 homers), 7 runs, 57 strikeouts and 7 runs (ERA) in 40⅔ innings.

Na Kyun-ahn has already tied with the three wins he posted last year. Now he’s having a career high season with every win. Gu Chang-mo threw a perfect resurrection, but there is no victory yet. It’s the first win challenge. Who will be laughing?