KBO Roundup: Machado cools off while former Tiger Cuevas gets first win

Welcome to a Wednesday edition of our KBO Roundup, and today we have a couple of familiar names in the discussion.

In Dixon Machado news, the former Tiger has cooled off significantly since crushing his fourth home run of the season on Monday. Over the past two games, the infielder has gone 0-6 with two strikeouts and a hit-by-pitch. It is possible that KBO pitchers are beginning to adjust to his free-swinging ways or it could just be an early season cold streak — we will find out over the next few games.

But Machado is not the only player in Korea to have spent time with Detroit in today’s roundup. On Tuesday William Cuevas, who pitched ¹⁄₃ of an inning back in 2017 with the Tigers, giving up four earned runs on five hits and a hit batter while striking out one, took the mound to start for the KT Wiz. Here is how that went.

May 19: Cuevas cool, gets win against the Eagles

Hanwha Eagles 11, KT Wiz 13

It was not the prettiest performance, but former Tiger Cuevas got his first win of the season in this slugfest between two teams in the bottom half of the standings with a 6⅓ inning effort, giving up four earned runs, five hits, a walk and two hit batters. Fortunately, the 29-year-old right-hander was spotted a big lead early, with the Wiz scoring at least two runs in each of the first five innings, terrorizing both starter Jang Shi-hwan and reliever Im Joon-seop who failed to stop the bleeding. Cuevas gave up only one run until the seventh, when he was knocked out of the game and the floodgates opened for a nine-run inning by the Eagles. Alas, the 12-run deficit was too much to overcome, as closer Lee Dae-eun shut the door in the ninth for the save despite giving up a solo home run to designated hitter Lee Sung-yeol. KT first baseman Kang Baek-ho was the featured player on offense, going 3-4 with a home run, a double, three RBIs, two runs scored and a walk.

Other results:

LG Twins 10, Samsung Lions 6

W: Lim Chan-gyu; L: David Buchanan

Lotte Giants 2, Kia Tigers 9

W: Lee Min-woo; L: Seo Jun-won

NC Dinos 5, Doosan Bears 4

W: Mike Wright; L: Lee Young-ha; SV: Won Jong-hyun

SK Wyverns 6, Kiwoom Heroes 11

W: Kim Tae-hoon; L: Ricardo Pinto

May 20: Pitchers duel ends with 11th-inning walk-off

NC Dinos 1, Doosan Bears 2

If you enjoy pitcher’s duels, this was the game to watch as NC’s ace Koo Chang-mo started opposite of Doosan’s Chris Flexen in an extra-inning affair for the ages. Moo put up a sparkling performance, throwing eight innings of two-hit ball, allowing an earned run — the first run he has allowed this season — while receiving a no-decision on Wednesday. The lone score in his stat line came in the first inning, when a double by left fielder Kim Jae-hwan scored first baseman Oh Jae-il. He sent down the Bears in order over the next three innings before allowing his second and final hit of the day in the fifth to shortstop Kim Jae-ho.

Doosan’s Chris Flexen also had a day, though like Koo, he did not figure in the final decision. He put up similar numbers as his opposing starter, going eight innings allowing one earned run on four hits and two walks while striking out a league-high 10 batters. The 25-year-old right-hander allowed the only run of his outing in the fourth on a solo home run off the bat of catcher Yang Eui-ji.

The aforementioned Yang was the offensive force of the day, going 2-4 with that solo home run providing a run and an RBI. Park Se-hyuk, who pinch hit for designated hitter Lee Yoo-chan, knocked in the winning run with a single to drive in centerfielder Jung Soo-bin in the eleventh.

BONUS:

Koo and Flexen were not the only starters to flex their muscles on Wednesday. Kia’s Drew Gagnon threw a beauty against Dan Straily and the Lotte Giants, tossing six innings of two-hit, no-run ball while walking two, hitting one batter and striking out nine along the way.

Other results:

Hanwha Eagles 1, KT Wiz 8

W: Bae Je-seong; L: Jang Min-jae

LG Twins 1, Samsung Lions 3

W: Choi Chae-heung; L: Tyler Wilson; SV: Woo Kyu-min

Lotte Giants 0, Kia Tigers 6

W: Drew Gagnon; L: Dan Straily

SK Wyverns 5, Kiwoom Heroes 3

W: Park Jong-hoon; L: Oh Ju-won; SV: Ha Jae-hoon

Coming up:

Thursday, May 21

Hanwha Eagles vs. KT Wiz (5:30 a.m. ET)

LG Twins vs. Samsung Lions (5:30 a.m. ET)

Lotte Giants vs. Kia Tigers (5:30 a.m. ET)

NC Dinos vs. Doosan Bears (5:30 a.m. ET)

SK Wyverns vs. Kiwoom Heroes (5:30 a.m. ET)

Friday, May 22

Hanwha Eagles vs. NC Dinos (5:30 a.m. ET)

Kia Tigers vs. SK Wyverns (5:30 a.m. ET)

KT Wiz vs. LG Twins (5:30 a.m. ET)

Doosan Bears vs. Samsung Lions (5:30 a.m. ET)

Kiwoom Heroes vs. Lotte Giants (5:30 a.m. ET)

You can watch all of the games live or on delay using the Twitch app. Click here for a the link to the channel.