Ryu Hyun-jin (36, Toronto) earned his first major league win in 444 days. On Thursday, Hyun-jin Ryu started a home game against the Chicago Cubs at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and pitched five innings of two-hit ball with two walks and three strikeouts to lead Toronto to an 11-4 victory. It had been 444 days since Ryu had won in the big leagues since May 27 of last year against the Los Angeles Angels. It was his 76th career win (46-1) and first of the season.
Ryu, who has been rehabbing for more than a year after undergoing career-ending elbow ligament reconstruction surgery last June, made his big league debut against Baltimore on Feb. 2. In his comeback, he gave up four runs on nine hits in five innings, but on Aug. 8, he pitched a no-hitter against Cleveland, allowing just one hit and a walk through four innings. He was hit in the knee by a pitch while trying to get the final out of the fourth inning, but overcame the setback to return to the mound on the same day and earn a victory of will.
Born in 1987, Ryu Hyun-jin became the oldest Korean major leaguer to win a major league start at 36 years, 4 months, and 20 days old when he earned his 76th career victory. He surpassed Chan Ho Park’s record of 35 wins at 35 years, 10 months, and 13 days with the Phillies in 2009.
Toronto manager John Schneider said after the game, “He showed what he had before (the injury), and he showed it again in his first three games back. It’s never easy at his age, but it looks like it’s easy for him.”
Ryu’s fastball topped out at 147 kilometers per hour (91.1 mph) and averaged 142 kilometers per hour (88.4 mph), similar to his previous two games, but he’s been finding his groove as the season progresses. Ryu, whose primary weapon, his changeup, came alive in Cleveland, showed off his changeup to perfection today, striking out three batters.
The first run came in the first inning. An infield error set the stage, but Ryu was unfazed. After giving up a full-count walk to Nico Horner to lead off the inning, a throwing error by first baseman Brandon Belt put runners on first and second. He got the Cubs’ best hitter, Cody Bellinger, to fly out to left field, but then gave up a low fastball to Dansby Swanson for a double. The two runs were not credited to Ryu because they came after an error.
He then got Japanese hitter Seiya Suzuki to fly out to right field to end the first inning, and Ryu continued to pitch flawlessly. After 카지노 throwing 31 pitches in the first inning, he finished with 55 through four innings.
Toronto’s offense responded with a home run. Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the second, Dolton Basho hit a three-run homer to right center to cut the deficit to 3-2, then Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a two-run double to left and George Springer followed with an RBI single to right to give Toronto a 5-2 lead. Ryu turned the ball over to the bullpen in the top of the sixth inning with an 8-2 lead.
After the game, Ryu said, “All of my pitches were working as well as they have since the last game. I think I’m back to where I want to be,” he said, adding, “I never stopped rehabbing. Everything went smoothly and I’m happy with the result.”