SEOUL-- It had been three years since Lee Yong-kyu had last played in the South Korean baseball postseason, and the 36-year-old outfielder felt like a kid in a candy store Monday night.
It didn't hurt that his Kiwoom Heroes rallied to beat the Doosan Bears 7-4 in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) wild card game. As the lower seed, the Heroes must win again Tuesday at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul to reach the next stage. The Bears, though, only need a tie to advance.
Lee, who scored twice in the first game, said in his pregame interview Tuesday that he doesn't mind being in that situation at all.
"It was a lot of fun last night, and we've given ourselves another opportunity," Lee said. "Hopefully, we'll be able to pounce on it."
As excited as he was, Lee also understands the value of staying composed. It's a lesson he learned in 2009, when he won his first and only Korean Series title playing for the Kia Tigers.
"I missed some regular season games that year with an ankle injury, and I put a lot of pressure on myself to make up for that lost time," Lee recalled. "But now that I've played in some big games, I've come to realize staying patient is really important. I am trying not to get carried away too much. No matter which way games go, I want to stay calm."
Back in 2009, Lee was teammates with Lee Jong-beom, a certified KBO legend winding down his career. This year, Lee Yong-kyu is playing with Lee Jong-beom's son, Lee Jung-hoo, who delivered a tiebreaking, two-run double in the top of the ninth Monday.
"Mentally and technically, Jung-hoo is an outstanding player," Lee Yong-kyu said. "I don't have to worry about him too much. I have to make sure other guys can keep their emotions in check."
The wild card format made its debut in 2015, and the higher-seeded team has advanced every year. The Heroes are on the verge of making history, but Lee said there is still no pressure on the Heroes.
"We should see this as a good opportunity, not a pressure-packed situation," he said. "We just have to play our game and let the chips fall where they may."
Source: Yonhap News Agency