'Batting average 0.225→0.378→0.397' LG's Austin is stronger when needed! He turned the game around again with a bases-loaded home run... but he himself said, "I was trying to hit a fly ball."

*This content was translated by AI.

LG Twins foreign hitter Austin Dean (33) once again saved his team from defeat.

On the 10th, Austin started at first base and batted third in LG's home game against SSG Landers at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular season. He went 3-for-3 with two home runs, five RBIs, one walk, and three runs scored, leading LG to an 8-6 comeback victory.

On this day, LG struggled as their trusted starting pitcher Austin Wells gave up seven hits (including one home run) over 4⅓ innings, walked four, struck out four, and allowed five earned runs. Recently, LG has not been able to go all-out in every game due to injuries to key players and the need to manage their stamina, so they might have been ready to give up. However, Austin kept the LG team's spirits high until the end.

In the bottom of the first inning, with LG trailing 0-2 and two outs, Austin crushed Choi Min-jun's inside two-seam fastball over the left-field wall. It was his 18th home run of the season, traveling 113.1 meters. In his second at-bat in the bottom of the third with one out, Austin reached base on a straight fastball walk, but he was left with the regret of being out on Moon Bo-kyung's double play. He made up for it in his next at-bat.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, with LG trailing 2-5 and one out with the bases loaded, Austin immediately swung at Lee Ro-un's fourth pitch, a 147.4 km/h fastball that came inside. The ball flew 122.4 meters and landed squarely in the upper left-field stands, becoming a bases-loaded home run that turned the game around 6-5. It was Austin's 19th home run of the season and his second career bases-loaded home run. In his final at-bat in the bottom of the seventh, Austin hit a single to left field and scored on Song Chan-ui's RBI single to left field, sealing the victory.

Looking back, the atmosphere at Jamsil Baseball Stadium during the at-bat that produced the bases-loaded home run was fascinating. On this day, 22,004 spectators gathered at Jamsil Baseball Stadium, and when Austin stepped into the batter's box, the atmosphere in the stands on both first base and third base sides was polar opposites.

As Austin walked to the batter's box, the fans' applause and cheers grew as hot as if they were watching a new player's first at-bat. While the home run from his previous at-bat certainly had an impact, it was clear that LG fans had high expectations for Austin.

LG fans' expectations were not based solely on feelings. According to the Korean baseball statistics site Statiz, Austin has a batting average of 0.225 (9 hits in 40 at-bats) when his team is trailing by five runs or more, making him a below-average hitter in such situations.

However, his batting average rose to 0.366 when the deficit was within four runs, 0.378 with a three-run deficit, 0.381 with a two-run deficit, 0.382 with a one-run deficit, and 0.397 in tied situations. He became even hotter when his team needed him most. In scoring position, his batting average reached an impressive 0.391, and his slugging percentage was 0.870, ranking first in the league.

After the game, Austin attributed his secret to thinking of the team first and setting aside personal ambition. "In a bases-loaded situation, I was trying to hit an outfield fly to allow the team to score," Austin said. "This season, I have been focusing on creating strong contact, and that effort seems to have paid off with the home run."

He continued with a broad smile, "I'm really glad the team won. Hitting the bases-loaded home run gave energy to the dugout, and I'm happy that I could contribute to the team's victory."

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*This content was translated by AI.