The NC Dinos have advanced to the finals of the Ulsan-KBO Fall League. The final of the inaugural tournament will be the ‘Nakdong River Derby’. The 2025 ninth-round rookie shook up the game.
NC defeated Team LMB of the Mexican League 6-3 in a close game in the second game of the Ulsan-KBO Fall League quarterfinals at Munsoo Baseball Stadium in Ulsan, South Korea, on April 28.
The team will play the Lotte Giants, who reached the finals as the top team in the preliminary round despite the cancellation of the quarterfinals. Infielder Jang Chang-hoon, a ninth-round draft pick in the 2025 KBO Draft out of Youngdong University in Gangneung, made a strong impression before making his professional debut, scoring the winning run with his feet. Team LMB’s starting lineup consisted of Brayan Mendoza (center field), Luis Martinez (shortstop), Maldonado Nunez (second base), Fernando Villalobos (first base), Emiliano Valencia (third base), Braulimo Cabero (left field), Gael Guzman (catcher), Carlos Villagas (designated hitter), and Carlos Tinoco (right field). The starting pitcher is Oscar Valenzuela. The entire roster is composed of young players born in the 2000s. They went 3-2 in the group stage.
NC’s starting lineup includes
Lee Jae-hwan (center fielder), Kim Se-hoon (shortstop), Park Si-won (right fielder), Kim Bum-joon (designated hitter), Han Jae-hwan (first baseman), Park Han-yeol (left fielder), Kim Han-byul (third baseman), Kim Jung-ho (catcher), and Park In-woo (second baseman). The starting pitcher is Noh Jae-won. The two teams have never faced each other in the Fall League. LMB struck first in the top of the first inning. Brayan Mendoza singled to shortstop, stole second, and Luis Martinez singled to right field to put runners on first and third. Maldonado Nunez grounded out to second, but Fernando Villalobos singled up the middle to score the go-ahead run.
NC tied the game in the bottom of the first. Leadoff hitter Jae-Hwan Chun singled and Park Si-won doubled to left field to put runners on second and third, 메이저사이트 and Kim Bum-joon grounded out to third base to plate the runners to tie the game at 1-1.
Team LMB had a chance one inning later when Gael Goosman hit a double to the top of the left field fence, but the runner was stranded at second base on a throwing error.
NC Futures manager Gong Pil-sung said before the game, “We’re resting the pitchers who are going to Australia right now, and we’re resting the pitchers who have completed their limited innings. We don’t have many pitchers. We have to have a bullpen day,” he explained. Noh Jae-won left the mound after two innings and one run. Left-hander Park Joo-hyun came in for the second pitch. Park tossed two scoreless innings of perfect relief.
NC had another chance in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Back-to-back singles by Han Jae-hwan and Kim Bum-joon and a walk to Park Han-geol loaded the bases with one out. Park eventually lined a single to right field to give NC a 2-1 lead, but the runner from second was thrown out trying to steal home. No further runs were scored.
NC brought in a third pitcher, Jeon Ru-gun, to close out the fifth inning. In the bottom of the fifth inning, NC scored an insurance run. A leadoff walk by Park In-woo and a grounder to third by Lee Jae-hwan put runners on first and second, and Kim Se-hoon singled to right to make it 3-1.
But against NC’s fourth pitcher, Kim Tae-hyun, Team LMB rallied. Back-to-back singles by Brayan Mendoza and Luis Martinez loaded the bases. Maldonado Nunez struck out, but Fernando Villalobos followed with a single to right to cut the deficit to 2-3 and 1 run. With runners on first and third, Emiliano Valencia hit a sacrifice fly to center field to tie the game at 3-3. In the bottom of the sixth inning, NC’s leadoff hitter, Jae-hwan Han, drew a walk. Rookie Jang Chang-hoon, a member of the Class of 2025, then stole second and third base. Kim Han-byul then scored on a squeeze bunt to make it 4-3. Son Joo-hwan, who came on in relief of Kim Tae-hyun in the sixth inning, pitched a scoreless seventh inning to preserve the lead.
However, Team LMB came to life in the top of the eighth inning.
NC got Kim Min-kyu to record two outs, but Maldonado Nunez singled to center and Fernando Villalobos and Emiliano Valencia walked to load the bases. However, Jeon Jeon-min saved the day, preserving NC’s lead and preventing Team LMB from tying the game.
NC drove a wedge into the game. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth inning, Jae-hwan Hwan singled to left field and scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Kim Se-hoon.