“We’ve won and been upset in both games” Down ‘-1’ to reach PO, why Son won’t let up until the end
NC Dinos outfielder Son As-seop (35) emphasized that he will not let his guard down until the end.
Son went 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, three RBIs, three runs scored, and two walks as the No. 1 designated hitter in the second game of the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League postseason semifinals at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on April 23. NC went on to win 7-3 behind Son’s performance.
NC swept Game 1 and Game 2 on their home field to move to within one win of the playoffs. Games 3 and 4 will be held at their home stadium, NC Park, giving them a huge advantage.
However, Son is wary of letting his guard down. In a pre-match interview, he said, “When you win a game, the atmosphere is inevitably good. We are also preparing for the second game in a good mood, but personally, I have had the experience of winning the first game and being overturned, and I have had the experience of winning the first and second games and being overturned, so I am always nervous inside and try not to let my guard down,” he said, emphasizing that it is important to stay tense until the end.
Son experienced disappointing losses in the 2009 and 2010 postseasons while playing for Lotte. In 2009, the team won the first round of the semifinals against Doosan, but then lost three straight games to miss the playoffs. In 2010, 먹튀검증 they won Game 1 and Game 2 against Doosan in the semifinals, but then lost three straight games to suffer a shocking reverse sweep. This time around, the team is just one win away from qualifying for the playoffs, but they’re not letting their guard down.
“The postseason doesn’t make us have a meeting or make us more determined,” said Son. “If I, as the most senior player, don’t show a relaxed attitude, the juniors get agitated. There are a lot of juniors and young players who are playing in the postseason for the first time, so if I give them the feeling that it’s a real war, I think it will put more pressure on them, so I just try to be relaxed and have fun. It’s a great experience for them. It’s an experience that you can’t buy, so I’m just trying to be more casual and play like it’s nothing.”
Park Gun-woo, who was named the Daily MVP for his three-hit performance in Game 2, said in a postgame interview, “Yesterday (Son) said, ‘The energy of the universe is here,’ and today he said, ‘Let’s just enjoy it. If you enjoy it, good things will happen’. I believed in my captain and played the game,” he said, adding that Son was doing a good job of creating a good atmosphere in the dugout.
Before the game, Son said, “The postseason is a bonus in a way. My individual performance doesn’t really mean anything, the team has to win. Even though I didn’t hit yesterday, I was able to sleep well because the team won. Of course, it would be nice if I could hit today when it counts, but I’m more focused on the team winning.” He also had a solid individual performance with four runs batted in.