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Dodgers Hyun-Jin Ryu throws a two-hitter but loses, 2-1

September 17, 2013

Pitcher says one mistake, another first inning home run, cost team the game

Los Angeles Dodgers' Hyun-Jin Ryu (99), of South Korea, looks at a Arizona Diamondbacks' Paul Goldschmidt two-run home run as Diamondbacks' A.J. Pollock, right, runs the bases in the first inning of a baseball game on Monday, Sept. 16, 2013, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Hyun-Jin Ryu (99), of South Korea, looks at a Arizona Diamondbacks’ Paul Goldschmidt two-run home run as the Diamondbacks’ A.J. Pollock, right, runs the bases in the first inning of a baseball game on Monday, Sept. 16, 2013, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu, tossed a two-hitter on Monday night only to lose to the Arizona Diamondbacks for the second time in five days. He retired 19 straight batters at one point to record his second complete game of the season but the two-run home run he gave up to Paul Goldschmidt in the first inning proved to be insurmountable.

The Korean pitcher struck out four and walked one in a tight game and lowered his earned run average to 3.03. Ryu hasn’t won in September and has dropped four of past five decisions to fall to 13-7.

Ryu has given up a total of 14 home runs during his first season in the Major Leagues, and nine of them came within the first 15 pitches of the game. He attributed that problem to trying to throw strikes early.

The following is a translation of Ryu’s post-game interview transcript with Korean media.

-How would you rate your performance today?

▲I lost the game because of one ball. I learned that I cannot afford to make even one mistake.

-So, that pitch was a mistake?

▲Well, something went wrong for it to go over the wall.

-Your manager, Don Mattingly, didn’t seem to think it was a mistake pitch.

▲If the pitch was high, and they hit it over the wall, wouldn’t you say that was a mistake?

-You seemed to struggle a bit lately, but pitched well today.

▲I’ve been throwing comfortably all along. Even though we lost the game, I find some comfort in the fact that I pitched my best game of late.

-How is team morale during this latest struggle?

▲It’s exactly the same. All the players are always trying their hardest and we still have a game tomorrow and the next day. We’ll be fine.

-What about your tendency to give up runs in first inning?

▲I was like that in Korea also but I think it got worse after I got here. I think it comes from trying to throw strikes early.

-You said you were going to look at a lot of videos after your last loss and Arizona came out with the exact same lineup from five days ago. How did you feel about that?

▲I did see a lot of videos to study their hitters and I thought the answer was breaking balls. I threw a lot of them, kept them low, and the plan worked well.

-Any problem conditioning-wise?

▲Not at all. I’ve pitched 181 innings so far and I feel like I can throw well in our remaining games also.

-What do you think is the biggest problem with the team right now?

▲Too many injured players. But they’re all due to be back soon. There’s no reason why we can’t go on another run when we get them back in the lineup.

-How do you feel about your first complete game loss?

▲I pitched a lot of innings and didn’t allow many hits so the way I look at it, it’s not so bad.

-How would you rate Paul Goldschmidt?

▲He’s a good hitter. I think he has confidence against me.

-At least you lowered your earned run average (ERA).

▲I am going to try to bring it under three, by not giving up many runs during my remaining starts.

-You also walked and scored the only run for the Dodgers.

▲The pitcher’s job is to pitch well.

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