*This content was translated by AI.
The table to be served in front of Kim Do-young (23) finished preheating. KIA Tigers' new leadoff Kim Ho-ryeong (34) made expectations again this year with his explosive batting sense.
KIA lost to the LG Twins 2-7 in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular season away game held at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on the 1st.
Both pitching and batting were frustrating games. The mound gave up as many as 10 walks and made a long game of 3 hours and 24 minutes. The number of hits was similar with 7 KIA and 8 LG, but he knelt down due to the poor scoring position.
The only comfort is leadoff Kim Ho-ryeong's three-hit performance. Kim Ho-ryeong, who started as the first hitter and center fielder on the day, was responsible for nearly half of the hits in the team with three hits in four at-bats.
There was a hit from the start. Kim Ho-ryeong hit Song Seung-ki's first pitch in the top of the first inning to make a double on the right field line.
In the top of the third inning, he pulled the ball well that was falling low outside and sent it to the left outfield. In the top of the fifth inning, he also connected the body ball with a double on the left field line. All three times, it was a hit that was made using the timing. It was a pity that all three at-bats could not make it to the home due to the failure of follow-up hits.
It was as KIA manager Lee Bum-ho (46) wished before the game. Talking about Harold Castro's batting order, head coach Lee Bum-ho said, "(Kim) Ho-ryeong is not getting hit right now, so I think it would be better if he started getting hit. I think it would be best for Castro to hit (Kim) Do-young in front of him rather than behind him in No. 2. I'm thinking about going in this batting order because (B) Sung-beom and (Kim) Sun-bin are also good," he said.
Coach Lee Bum-ho, who was looking for a new leadoff, also had a belief that it was Kim Ho-ryeong. KIA had to find a new No. 1 hitter as Park Chan-ho (Doosan Bears), a long-time leadoff player, left for FA last winter.
Just in time, Kim Ho-ryeong burst her hitting potential and claimed ownership of the position. After graduating from Gwansan Elementary School, Ansan Jungang Middle School, Gunsan Sang High School, and Dongguk University, Kim Ho-ryeong joined KIA as the 102nd member in the 10th round of the second round of the 2015 KBO Rookie Draft.
Unlike the excellent center field defense, he went back and forth between the main players and the backup with a disappointing hit. However, it emerged as a new hope last year, with a batting average of 0.283 (94 hits in 332 times at bat), six homers, 39 RBIs and 46 points, and an on-base percentage of 0.359 slugging percentage of 0.434.
KIA had a difficult time in eighth place last year due to Kim Do-young's injury after winning in 2024. To make matters worse, Park Chan-ho and Choi Hyung-woo also left, making the lineup loose. However, as Kim Ho-ryeong saved the batting feeling and Castro quickly adjusted, Kim Do-young also eased the burden.
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*This content was translated by AI.
