SEOUL — Reliever Cho Sang-woo delivered a standout performance during the Kiwoom Heroes' 5-4 extra-inning victory against the Hanwha Eagles at Gocheok Sky Dome on Thursday night. Cho's two perfect innings with four strikeouts helped set the stage for the Heroes' 11th-inning rally, leading to their win.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Cho, who recently returned from mandatory military service, threw two innings for the first time since August 2020. "It's been a while since I went two innings, and so I tried extra hard to stay focused," Cho said. He emphasized the importance of maintaining concentration throughout his appearance, which included using breaking balls effectively to surprise the Eagles' batters.
Cho struck out four of the six batters he faced, utilizing a mix of sliders and curveballs rather than relying solely on his fastball. This approach has contributed to his current scoreless streak of 15 games, significantly lowering his ERA from 4.50 to 2.79.
"I am trying not to think too much about the streak," Cho added. "In the past, whenever I tried too hard to keep some streaks going, it messed me up. I only want to take it one batter at a time and help the team win."