Texas Rangers’ “second-generation Korean” pitcher Dane Dunning (29) conquered the 10th win of a season for the first time since his major league debut.
Dunning took the mound as a starting pitcher in an away game against the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2023 Major League Baseball at the Toronto Rogers Center in Ontario, Canada, on the 12th (Korea Standard Time). Dunning, who made a quality start with six hits, seven strikeouts, three walks and three runs in six innings, achieved his 10th win of the season as Texas won 10-4.
Dunning recorded his ninth win of the season against the Chicago White Sox on August 3 (three hits, 11 strikeouts, one walk, and one run in 7⅔ innings) and only lost two games without a win in six appearances. In the game against the Houston Astros on the 6th, Dunning, who suffered the most runs in a game since his big league debut with 11 hits (three home runs), two walks, four strikeouts and nine runs in 5 2⅓3 innings, succeeded in escaping nine strokes in 40 days.
Dunning achieved 10 wins for the first time since his Major League debut / Photo = Getty Images Korea
The process of trying to win 10 games for the seventh time was also not smooth. Dunning, who took the mound under the burden of fierce competition for the autumn baseball rankings, finished the first inning with three outs but lost a point right away in the second inning. At the end of the second inning, when Texas was leading 1-0, Dunning allowed a hit and a walk after one out, putting him on the verge of one out and runners on first and second base. Dunning, who had a timely hit to tie Toronto’s Alejandro Kirkede, struck out Dalton Basho to take a breather, but after giving up a walk to Kevin Kiermeyer, he hit a timely hit by George Springer and allowed a 1-2 turnaround. Dunning hit a sharp hit by Bobby Bissett in the ensuing two-out full base crisis, but managed to finish the inning with a fly ball to center field.
Dunning also cheered up when the Texas batters tied the score with Evan Carter’s solo home run in the top of the third inning. Dunning struck out three times in the third inning and grounded out four times in the fourth, creating two consecutive three-way shutout innings. In the meantime, Texas took a 3-2 lead with a timely hit by Corey Seager in the top of the fifth inning.메이저놀이터
Dunning allowed a double to leadoff hitter Kiermeyer in the bottom of the fifth inning, facing another crisis. Springer then hit a right-handed hit, and second baseman Kiermeyer dug into the home plate. However, Texas left fielder Evan Carter’s no-bound laser throw arrived home first and succeeded in shooting him as a runner. Dunning, who overcame the crisis with the help of the defense, grounded out Bissett, struck out Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and completed the winning pitcher requirement
In the bottom of the sixth inning, when Texas widened the gap to 5-2, Dunning once again took the mound, but after being hit by leadoff hitter Spencer Horwitz, he caused a second base crisis with no outs with a wild pitch. Dunning, who handled Davis Schneider with a fly ball to right field and allowed the second baseman to advance to third base, allowed Cavan Vizio to make a sacrifice fly for his third run. However, he no longer faltered and finished the sixth inning with a ground ball to achieve a quality start.
Texas, led by Dunning’s good pitching, beat Toronto’s willingness to chase with five points and big innings in the seventh inning and won 10-4 to win three consecutive games. Texas, which recorded 79 wins and 64 losses (0.552) in the season, maintained its American League wild card cutline. Toronto, which lost on the day, recorded 80 wins and 64 losses (0.556) and was chased by Texas by 0.5 games.
Dunning, who failed to participate in the WBC due to hip surgery but succeeded in blessing the phone by taking a spot in Texas’ starting rotation
On the other hand, Dunning is a Korean-American player who was born to Korean mother Misu Dunning (Korean name Misu) and American father John Dunning. Dunning, who was drafted by the Washington Nationals with the 29th overall pick in the first round of the 2016 rookie draft, made his major league debut when he was with the White Sox in 2020, and has been playing for Texas since 2021.
Dunning, who showed promise with 5 wins, 10 losses, 4.51 ERA in 27 games (25 starts) in 2021 and 4 wins, 8 losses, and 4.46 ERA in 29 games (29 starts) in 2022, ended the season early in September last year due to right hip surgery. Dunning has expressed a positive stance on joining the Korean national team ahead of the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC), but unfortunately, the Taegeuk mark was canceled due to injury. After successfully completing rehabilitation, Dunning has been spending his career-high season in his fourth year in the big league, leaving behind the regret of failing to participate in WBC.