Ryu fails to grab fourth win, takes no-decision

Ryu Hyun-jin, a South Korean-born pitcher of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the U.S. Major League Baseball, has failed to grab his fourth victory of this season. The Dodgers started a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at home on Tuesday by observing a moment of silence over victims of a South Korean ferry that sank on April 16. While the gesture was in consideration of Korean baseball fans, it also indicated Ryu`s status in his team.

Ryu took a no-decision after throwing 6 innings and allowing two earned runs on nine hits and two walks. He struck out three. He left the mound at 1-2 but avoided losing the game as the Dodgers tied in the seventh inning. But the Dodgers lost the game 2-3 by giving up another run in the extended 10th inning.

Ryu`s pitching was generally good, though. However, the process of giving up two runs left his fans sorry. He allowed Phillies pitcher A.J. Burnett three hits, the latter`s personal record. Still, the fact that Ryu gave up just two earned runs even by allowing Burnett and the Phillies leading hitter Ben Revere three hits, respectively, shows that Ryu`s superb crisis management ability.

Ryu`s failed attempt at his fourth win was also attributable to the Dodgers` hitting slump. The team hit 0.202 in the latest eight games, earning only 2.6 runs per game on average.

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly looked depressed after the game, but Ryu remained as usual. Mattingly spared no praise for Ryu`s performance. The pitcher said that allowing three hits to his opponent pitcher had affected his loss of runs, noting that his attempt to throw breaking balls resulted in fastballs. Commenting on local media reports that his performances tend to deteriorate after a four-day break, Ryu admitted that he gave up earned scores in all but one game in such situations last year. "But I don`t care about that," he said.