Kang Jung-ho emerges as Pittsburgh’s Dodgers killer

Kang Jung-ho of the Pittsburgh Pirates made glaring debut at the "Sunday Night Baseball," ESPN’s national baseball game program, with a three-run homer on Monday (Korea time). Pittsburgh crushed the LA Dodgers 13-6 on the day by garnering nine runs including Kang’s three-run homer, in the seventh inning when the team was trailing 3-5 in the last of its three consecutive home games against Dodgers on the day.

Dodgers allowed multiple runs due to struggles by its relief pitchers, who lost 10 points for four innings. Chances are high the two teams will face off at the postseason. Considering pitchers alone, Dodgers leads Pittsburgh. Dodgers’ starting pitchers ranked third in the league with 39 wins and 28 losses and an earned run average of 3.21, while Pittsburgh’s starting pitchers ranked sixth with 45 wins and 31 losses and an earned run average of 3.48. However, Pittsburgh overwhelms the other in the bullpen pitcher lineup, which determines a team’s win or loss in games. Pittsburgh’s bullpen pitcher lineup ranks fourth with 20 wins and 13 losses and an earned run average of 2.78. Dodgers’ bullpen pitcher lineup ranks 26th, the lowest in the league, with 23 wins and 21 losses and an earned run average of 4.19.

Kang garnered four hits, one homer, and four RBIs from 11 times at bat in the three consecutive games against Dodgers, raising expectation for his stellar performance at the postseason in October. The three RBIs that he recorded on the day were his ninth multi RBIs of this season. The homer was his ninth for this season, which he hit for the first time in eight days since an away game in Cincinnati on August 2. Kang, who had a batting average of 0.268, four homers, and 29 RBIs in the first half, is displaying robust hitting performance in the second half.

Kang has a batting average of 0.368, five homers, and 10 RBIs in 21 games since the opening of the All Star games.