He’s got a baseball bat now, but the explosive physicality that made him a quarterback in American football is still there. Armed with speed and power, Anthony Alford (29-KT Wiz) helped his team snap a two-game losing streak and clinch the best-of-seven series with a dominant performance for the second straight day.메이저사이트
Alford started as the No. 3 designated hitter against the NC Dinos in the ‘2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League’ at KT Wiz Park in Suwon on April 1.
In his second at-bat, Alford hit a cool cannonball. With runners on first and second in the bottom of the third inning and his team trailing 0-2, he took a four-seam fastball from opposing starter Song Myung-ki and smashed it over the left field fence for a three-run shot (his seventh of the season) to give his team a 3-2 lead.
With the game tied 6-6, the bases were loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning. In the final at-bat, Storm sprinted to the plate. The ball was hit toward the pitcher, Yong-chan Lee, but he sprinted hard to get to first base faster than the ball. With runners on first and second, the team put more pressure on their opponents and secured a thrilling 7-6 victory thanks to an RBI single from catcher Park Byung-ho. Alford finished the day 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs to lead the team’s offense.
After the game, Alford said, “The fastball was the one I was aiming for. I hit a home run last time (against the SSG Landers in Incheon on March 14) and it’s been a long time (without a home run), so today was a good day for me mentally. My batting results have been good since returning from injury, so I feel more confident at the plate. There are definitely things that are better psychologically. I’ve got more foresight to know if it’s a good pitch to hit.”
Last month (June), Alford was the hottest hitter on the team. He batted .367 (22-for-60) with one home run and six RBIs to spark the offense. Since returning to the field after shaking off a shoulder contusion, he’s been hitting for power. Her quick feet also shined. In the first game of the three-game weekend series against Suwon NC on March 30, he made a hustle play.
With runners on first and second in the bottom of the eighth inning with his team trailing 1-2, Park Byung-ho singled to left field, stole second base and advanced to third. With the score 2-2 and runners on first and third, Hwang Jae-gyun hit a grounder to shortstop that swept home plate. Alford’s baserunning prowess was the difference. His explosive speed and power brought back memories of his college days as a starting quarterback.
“I’ve been playing a lot of designated hitter lately, so I’ve been focusing on hitting more than fielding, so I think I need to give 100 percent at the plate,” Alford said. “When I get the chance, I’m going to take it, and my batting and speed are my strengths, so I’m going to utilize them. I want to continue to make plays that can help the team win.”
Thanks to Alford’s back-to-back performances, KT escaped a three-game losing streak on the first day of the three-game weekend series and promptly completed the sweep to start July on a high note.