'Kim Do-young's 20 home runs still felt lonely': Austin Dean ties for league lead in home runs! LG starters all get hits, defeat KIA 8-2 [Gwangju Field Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

KIA Tigers' Kim Do-young (23) hit his 20th home run, following LG Twins' Austin Dean (33), but could not smile. The difference between the two lay in their teams' offensive firepower.

On the 16th, LG defeated KIA 8-2 in an away game of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular season held at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field. With this loss, KIA, now in a two-game losing streak, remained in fourth place with 34 wins, 1 tie, and 32 losses. LG, on a three-game winning streak, improved to 42 wins and 24 losses, maintaining a two-game gap over second-place KT Wiz.

The difference in offensive power was significant. LG recorded 13 hits, including a season-high second time where all starters got a hit, pounding KIA's pitching mound. At the center was undoubtedly the foreign hitter Austin Dean. In the top of the first inning, Austin led the LG lineup with a solo home run, going 2-for-3 with one walk, two RBIs, and three runs scored. His first-inning home run marked the first time in LG club history and the fifth time in KBO history that a player has hit 20 home runs in four consecutive seasons. Later, in the bottom of the seventh with one out and runners on first and third, he drove in a run with a sacrifice single to right field. Elsewhere, Moon Bo-kyung went 2-for-5 with one RBI, Moon Sung-ju went 2-for-4 with one RBI, and Park Dong-won went 2-for-4 with one home run and three RBIs.

LG starting pitcher Lachlan Wells pitched six innings, allowing three hits (two home runs), two walks, striking out four, and giving up two earned runs to earn his fourth win (two losses) of the season. He also maintained his dominance over KIA, winning all three games against them this season. In contrast, KIA managed only four total hits and lost helplessly. Starting pitcher Kaisei Shirakawa also lasted six innings, allowing seven hits (two home runs), one walk, striking out four, and giving up five earned runs, but recorded his second loss (one win) of the season.

Kim Do-young hit a solo home run to left field in the sixth inning, tying Austin Dean for first place in the league in home runs. However, without support from the rest of the lineup, he felt lonely.

That day, LG set its lineup as follows: Hong Chang-ki (right fielder), Park Hae-min (center fielder), Austin Dean (first baseman), Moon Bo-kyung (third baseman), Moon Sung-ju (left fielder), Song Chan-ui (designated hitter), Park Dong-won (catcher), Gu Bon-hyeok (shortstop), and Shin Min-jae (second baseman). The starting pitcher was Lachlan Wells.

KIA countered with the following lineup: Kim Min-kyu (left fielder), Kim Ho-ryeong (center fielder), Kim Do-young (third baseman), Na Sung-beom (designated hitter), Kim Sun-bin (second baseman), Byun Woo-hyeok (first baseman), Park Min (shortstop), Kim Tae-gun (catcher), and Park Jae-hyun (right fielder). The starting pitcher was Kaisei Shirakawa.

Both teams exchanged one run each with home runs from the start. In the top of the first with two outs, Austin Dean hit a curveball from Shirakawa for a solo home run to left-center field, traveling 125 meters for his 20th home run of the season. With this home run, Austin became the first foreign hitter in LG club history and the fifth in KBO history to hit 20 home runs in four consecutive seasons.

In the bottom of the first with one out, Kim Ho-ryeong hit Wells' inside fastball over the left-field fence, traveling 115 meters for his 10th home run of the season. It was Kim Ho-ryeong's first double-digit home run total since his debut.

LG took the lead again. In the top of the second, Moon Sung-ju hit a single to right field, and Song Chan-ui hit a double down the right-field line, putting runners on second and third with no outs. Park Dong-won then hit a two-run double to left-center field, breaking the tie. LG led 3-1.

In the top of the third with no outs and runners on first and third, Moon Sung-ju grounded into a fielder's choice to second base, scoring one run to extend the lead. In the top of the sixth, Park Dong-won hit a solo home run to left field. In the top of the seventh with one out and runners on first and third, Austin Dean drove in a run with a sacrifice single to right field, Moon Bo-kyung hit an infield single, and Song Chan-ui drew a bases-loaded walk, adding three more runs and sealing the victory for LG.

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*This content was translated by AI.