Could this be 'Is LG's Austin nervous?' KIA's Kim Do-young explodes with multi-home runs! Four-game winning streak in full force; Kiwoom sinks into a nine-game losing streak [Gocheok On-Site Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

KIA Tigers swept the three-game series against Kiwoom Heroes, extending their winning streak to four games.

On the 25th, KIA defeated Kiwoom 9-4 in an away game of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular season held at Seoul Gocheok Sky Dome.

With this victory, KIA improved to 41 wins, 1 tie, and 33 losses, maintaining fourth place in the league. Meanwhile, Kiwoom fell into a nine-game losing streak, remaining at 26 wins, 1 tie, and 49 losses without escaping last place in the league.

KIA has faced Kiwoom nine times this year and won all nine matchups.

KIA started with Neill on the mound. The batting order was set as follows: Park Jae-hyun (left fielder), Kim Ho-ryeong (center fielder), Kim Do-young (third baseman), Na Sung-beom (right fielder), Castro (first baseman), Han Jun-soo (designated hitter), Kim Kyu-sung (second baseman), Kim Tae-gun (catcher), and Park Min (shortstop).

In response, Kiwoom started with Alcantara on the mound. Their starting lineup was arranged as Seo Geon-chang (second baseman), Lee Ju-hyung (center fielder), Hirata (designated hitter), Kim Woong-bin (first baseman), Park Chan-hyuk (right fielder), Choo Jae-hyun (left fielder), Kim Dong-heon (catcher), Kwon Hyuk-bin (shortstop), and Yeo Dong-wook (third baseman).

KIA decided the game with four runs in the third inning and five more runs in the seventh inning.

In the top of the third inning, with one out and runners on second and third, Kim Ho-ryong hit a sacrifice fly to center field, followed by Kim Do-young hitting a two-run home run over the right-field fence. Next, Na Sung-beom hit a solo home run over the left-field fence, extending the lead to 4-0.

Then in the top of the seventh inning, Kiwoom replaced starter Alcantara with Jo Young-geon. With Kim Tae-gun hitting a double and Park Min bunting for a sacrifice bunt, creating a one-out, bases-loaded situation, Park Jae-hyun hit a sacrifice fly to right field, and Kim Ho-ryong hit a sacrifice fly to left field. Next, Kim Do-young hit a two-run home run over the left-field fence, making it 8-0. The pitcher was then replaced by Kim Yun-ha. Although Na Sung-beom struck out, Castro followed with a solo home run over the center-left field fence, pushing the score to 9-0.

With these home runs, Kim Do-young reached his 21st and 22nd home runs of the season, tying Austin Dean (LG Twins) for the league lead in home runs.

Kiwoom managed to score two runs in the eighth inning with Kim Dong-heon's sacrifice double and Yeo Dong-wook's sacrifice fly, then attempted another comeback in the ninth inning with Park Chan-hyuk's two-run home run, but that was all they could manage.

KIA's starter Neill pitched seven innings, allowing two hits, no walks, and striking out eight batters without allowing any runs, securing his fifth win of the season (with four losses). In contrast, Kiwoom's starter Alcantara pitched six innings, allowing six hits (including two home runs), no walks, striking out eight batters, and giving up four earned runs, taking his sixth loss of the season (with seven wins). Among KIA's 12 total hits, Kim Do-young and Kim Tae-gun each recorded three hits. Kiwoom managed only six scattered hits.

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*This content was translated by AI.