NC Dinos’ Jason Martin Credits Teammates for Three-Run Homer in KBO Postseason Win
Changwon, South Korea — Jason Martin, the American outfielder for the NC Dinos, attributed his key role in the team’s first-round victory in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) postseason to the collective efforts of his teammates. Martin’s three-run homer helped the Dinos secure a 7-6 win against the SSG Landers, completing a three-game sweep.
According to a news release by Yonhap News Agency, Martin had more opportunities to hit with runners on base throughout the first round of the postseason. During Wednesday night’s game at Changwon NC Park, he turned a 5-4 deficit into a 7-5 lead by hitting a three-run home run against reliever Noh Kyung-eun.
“I was just looking for a certain pitch in a certain location,” said Martin. “He threw it right there, and I was able to put a good swing on it.”
Over the course of the series, Martin led the Dinos with five RBIs, a continuation of his strong performance during the regular season. In his inaugural KBO season, Martin led his team with 90 RBIs, placing him fourth in league standings.
Martin primarily batted in the cleanup spot, following three of the league’s top contact hitters: Son Ah-seop, Park Min-woo, and Park Kun-woo. “Just me being able to get RBIs is because of our one, two, three hitters,” Martin said. “They do a really good job getting on base, and I have a lot of situations to be able to drive them in.”
Statistics for the series reveal that Son had a .400 on-base percentage, Park Min-woo had a .571 on-base percentage, and Park Kun-woo reached base at a .462 clip.
In addition to crediting his teammates for his RBI opportunities, Martin expressed gratitude for the support he has received in his first season in South Korea. “It’s been great having the teammates, coaches, and staff around, being able to help me with that,” he said.
After hitting 17 home runs in 118 regular-season games but finishing with just three over his last 35, Martin is optimistic about his performance in upcoming playoff games. “There’s a lot of ups and downs, and you just try your best to stay positive,” he said.