The Korea Herald

Milestones in sight as offense rules

Jul 17, 2014

In a season of high-octane offense that has left managers and pitchers alike shuddering with fear, some significant milestones remain in sight in the top South Korean baseball league.Park Byung-ho, the slugging first baseman for the Nexen Heroes, could bag his third straight Korea Baseball Organization MVP honors in 2014. After hitting 31 homers in 2012 and 37 in 2013, Park is already sitting at 30 home runs this year after 82 games. Nexen’s Park Byung-ho (Yonhap)Park reached 25 homers by June 7
Familiar face back on top with high-scoring clubs in pursuit

Jul 17, 2014

It’s deja vu all over again in the top South Korean baseball league as it enters the All-Star break, with a familiar face sitting pretty in first place despite recent hiccups.The Samsung Lions, the three-time defending champs of the Korea Baseball Organization, are at the top of the standings in the nine-team league at 49 wins, 27 losses and two draws. They’re 3 1/2 games ahead of the Nexen Heroes, despite losing the final four games of the first half.The Heroes, who made their first postseason
Ex-MLB hitter Luke Scott waived by SK Wyverns after heated exchange with manager

Jul 16, 2014

Former Major League Baseball player Luke Scott was released by his South Korean club SK Wyverns on Wednesday following a heated exchange with his manager in public.The Wyverns said they have placed the 36-year-old veteran on the waivers a day after Scott got into a verbal spat with his manager Lee Man-soo. Their exchange took place on the field at the Wyverns' home Munhak Stadium in Incheon, hours before they were to host the Hanwha Eagles.Scott, with 135 career homers in the majors and three co
Cespedes wins home run derby

Jul 15, 2014

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) ― Oakland’s Yoenis Cespedes became the first repeat winner of the All-Star home run derby in 15 years, powering his way past Cincinnati’s Todd Frazier by a whopping 9-1 in the final round Monday night.Ken Griffey Jr. took the title in 1998 and 1999. With a serious, determined look on his face the whole time, Cespedes finished with 28 homers. That was four fewer than last year, when he beat Washington’s Bryce Harper 9-8 in the final round.Cespedes saved his best for last, a 138-m
[Newsmaker] Ryu Hyun-jin earns 10th win of season

Jul 14, 2014

LOS ANGELES (Yonhap) ― Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers earned his 10th victory of the season after tossing six shutout innings against the San Diego Padres at home on Sunday.In his final start before the All-Star break, Ryu left the game after six innings with the Dodgers leading 1-0. Ryu allowed only two hits and struck out a season-high 10 batters before handing things over to Brandon League to start the seventh inning at Dodger Stadium.Ryu entered the day with a 9-5 record and a 3.65
Rangers outfielder Choo Shin-soo hopes to start from scratch

Jul 14, 2014

ARLINGTON, Texas (Yonhap) ― As he wrapped up a disappointing first half of the Major League Baseball season with the Texas Rangers on Sunday, South Korean outfielder Choo Shin-soo said he will try to start the latter half from scratch.Choo made an appearance as a pinch hitter and ended up going 0 for 2 against the Los Angeles Angels, as the Rangers fell 10-7.The Rangers, a trendy preseason pick to contend for the World Series, are entering the All-Star break with the worst record in the majors a
Ryu Hyun-jin earns 10th win of season with six shutout innings vs. Padres

Jul 14, 2014

Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers earned his 10th victory of the season after tossing six shutout innings against the San Diego Padres at home on Sunday.In his final start before the All-Star break, Ryu left the game after six innings with the Dodgers leading 1-0. Ryu allowed only two hits and struck out a season-high 10 batters before handing things over to Brandon League to start the seventh inning at Dodger Stadium.Ryu entered the day with a 9-5 record and a 3.65 ERA. He lowered his ERA
Cards rout Brewers as skid reaches 7

Jul 13, 2014

MILWAUKEE (AP) ― Adam Wainwright pitched seven strong innings and the St. Louis Cardinals sent Milwaukee to its seventh straight loss, 10-2 on Saturday as the Brewers mourned the death of shortstop Jean Segura’s young son.Segura left the team and traveled home to the Dominican Republic, a day after his 9-month-old son died. The Brewers observed a moment of silence for Janniel Segura, and the clubhouse was closed before the game.The 24-year-old shortstop was put on the bereavement list when he le
Streak over, Kershaw pitches Dodgers past Padres 2-1

Jul 11, 2014

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Clayton Kershaw’s scoreless streak ended at 41 innings when he gave up a home run to Chase Headley, but the Los Angeles ace pitched a three-hitter with 11 strikeouts to lead the Dodgers over the San Diego Padres 2-1 on Thursday night.Kershaw won his eighth straight start and came within 18 innings of the major league record set by Dodgers right-hander Orel Hershiser, who threw 59 consecutive shutout innings in 1988.The switch-hitting Headley homered off Kershaw (11-2) in the s
Scherzer outduels Greinke as Tigers roll

Jul 10, 2014

DETROIT (AP) ― When Max Scherzer is on the mound, the Detroit Tigers have a chance to win pretty much any game ― even without their top two sluggers.Scherzer pitched seven impressive innings, outdueling Zack Greinke and helping the short-handed Tigers beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-1 on Wednesday.Detroit was without Miguel Cabrera, who was given a day off, and Victor Martinez, who is dealing with a lingering back issue.“Baseball’s that type of game,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. “Even withou
Ryu Hyun-jin hit hard in loss

Jul 9, 2014

DETROIT (Yonhap) ― Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers was mauled by the Detroit Tigers on the road on Tuesday, suffering his fifth loss of 2014 after blowing an early lead in one of his worst outings of the season.Ryu was tagged for seven earned runs on 10 hits in 2 1/3 innings at Comerica Park, as the Tigers routed the Dodgers 14-5.Ryu dropped to 9-5 on the year and his ERA went up from 3.08 to 3.65. Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin delivers in the first inning on Tuesday. (AP-Yonh
Kang Min-ho named KBO All-Star reserve

Jul 9, 2014

Despite struggling through one of the worst seasons of his career, Lotte Giants’ catcher Kang Min-ho was selected on Wednesday as an All-Star reserve in the Korea Baseball Organization.Kang was among 24 managerial picks for the midsummer affair in the top South Korean baseball league. Players from his Giants will be joined by those from the Samsung Lions, the Doosan Bears and the SK Wyverns in the Eastern League. Representatives of the LG Twins, the Nexen Heroes, the NC Dinos, the Kia Tigers and
Singleton, Gonzalez lead Astros past Rangers 12-7

Jul 8, 2014

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) ― Jon Singleton homered among three hits and drove in four runs, Marwin Gonzalez had a bases-loaded triple and the Houston Astros snapped a seven-game skid with a 12-7 victory over the Texas Rangers on Monday night.Gonzalez’s triple followed five consecutive singles in a six-run second inning, and Singleton’s towering flyball landed two rows above the Texas bullpen in right-center for a three-run shot and a 9-2 lead in the fourth.Jarred Cosart (9-6) won for the first time i
Outfielder Na Sung-bum tops All-Star voting

Jul 7, 2014

Second-year outfielder Na Sung-bum of the NC Dinos leads the All-Star voting for the Korea Baseball Organization, the country’s top baseball league announced on Monday.The KBO said the 24-year-old slugger garnered 968,013 votes from fans and another 193 votes from KBO coaches and fellow players to lead the 22 All-Star starters.The KBO has nine clubs. Na’s Dinos, along with the LG Twins, the Nexen Heroes, the Kia Tigers and the Hanwha Eagles, will represent the Western League.The Eastern League w
Kemp’s four hits lead Dodgers

Jul 7, 2014

DENVER (AP) ― Matt Kemp had four hits and drove in two runs, Adrian Gonzalez had three RBIs and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Colorado Rockies 8-2 on Sunday.Juan Uribe added three hits for the Dodgers, who won three of four in the weekend series. They head to Detroit in first place in the NL West, a half-game ahead of San Francisco.Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, an All-Star starter with an NL-best 5.3 million votes, scored both runs for the Rockies.Colorado was 26-20 on May 20 but has lost 17 of