Kang Min-ho, sincere about championship: "Will do my best for the final goal before retirement → Second half is the real battle; our team's atmosphere matters more than LG's"

*This content was translated by AI.

Samsung Lions' veteran catcher Kang Min-ho (41) led his team to a decisive victory with a hot bat. He made significant contributions in narrowing the gap with first-place LG Twins and once again emphasized his sincere challenge for the championship.

On the 5th, Kang Min-ho started as the seventh hitter and catcher in an away game against SSG Landers at IncheonSSG Landers Field in the '2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League', hitting two home runs and roaring with power. Thanks to Kang Min-ho's fierce hitting, Samsung secured a 13-3 victory and swept the three-game weekend series. This marks Samsung's first sweep of a three-game away series in Incheon since June 17–19, 2014, when they were still known as SK — a span of 12 years or 4,399 days by date.

On this day, Kang Min-ho hit back-to-back home runs (his 5th and 6th of the season), showcasing his sharp power-hitting instinct. He connected on consecutive swings in the third and fourth at-bats, marking his 20th such occurrence this season, the 1st,262nd of his career, and his 12th personal back-to-back home run series. It was also his first back-to-back home runs since September 16, 2022, against Daegu Doosan. The result came from capitalizing on mistakes when pitchers crowded the strike zone with hanbok-style pitches. He targeted Jeon Young-jun's slider (130 km/h) in the top of the fifth inning and then pulled Baek Seung-geon's fastball (142 km/h) over the fence in the top of the sixth.

After the game, Kang Min-ho reflected on his first home run: "It was a situation where even an outfield fly would score a run, so when I saw my body react slowly to the first pitch, I decided to adjust my timing slightly earlier." He added, "The opponent made a mistake and threw a slider that came in front of me, which turned into a home run."

Kang Min-ho's final stats for the day were 2 hits in 5 at-bats (including 2 home runs), 6 RBIs, and 2 runs scored. This was his first multi-home run game of the season and set a new personal record for most RBIs in a single game while wearing a Samsung uniform. Since joining Samsung ahead of the 2018 season, Kang had recorded only two games with 5 RBIs (September 16, 2022, against Daegu Doosan, and May 9, 2023, against Daejeon Hanwha). Today marked his first game with 6 RBIs as a Samsung player. When reporters informed him of this fact, Kang Min-ho smiled broadly, saying, "I didn't know." His career single-game RBI record is 8, set during his time with Lotte on April 5, 2015, against Busan Doosan.

Swinging the bat fiercely, Kang Min-ho joked, "Judging by my performance today, it felt like my birthday," before adding, "I've always had many good things happen in July. Mentally, I think 'things will go well' and play comfortably. Fortunately, I could contribute to a win, so I feel great."

In fact, Samsung did not field its full strength on this day due to injuries to Kim Young-woong and Lee Jae-hyun, as well as absences by Koo Ja-wook (shoulder discomfort) and Choi Hyung-woo (hip pain). Nevertheless, veteran Kang Min-ho stabilized the team and led them to a decisive victory. Kang Min-ho stated, "The team's atmosphere is truly excellent right now. Even if starters are out, others can easily fill their roles. Just look at the outfield: if Park Seung-gyu sits out, another player steps in; if Kim Sung-yoon is absent, someone else takes his place. The team operates smoothly like gears. I believe that being able to replace missing starters is what drives a successful team — and that's exactly who we are." He expressed strong confidence in the squad.

Samsung, now on a four-game winning streak, has recorded 49 wins, 2 draws, and 31 losses (winning percentage 0.613), closing the gap to first-place LG Twins (51 wins, 31 losses, 0.622) by just one game. Coincidentally, LG will be their opponent in the final three-game series of the first half, starting on the 7th at Daegu's home field. The outcome of this series is expected to determine which team finishes first in the first half. As a matchup between two top-tier teams racing toward the championship, it has drawn significant attention.

However, Kang Min-ho emphasized looking at the entire season. Regarding the final three-game series against LG, he said, "It's just one of many three-game series throughout the season. Regardless of the opponent, maintaining our team's atmosphere is more important. Of course, we will do our best, and I believe the players will perform well," while clearly indicating he would not fixate on finishing first in the first half. On the recent revival of his pitching-hitting balance, he analyzed, "The players feel it too. When the starting pitchers struggle, the batters step up; when the lineup faces difficulties, the pitchers hold strong. These elements working well is why we're in the upper ranks."

Kang Min-ho's focus remains solely on 'championship' and the 'second half'. Concluding his remarks, he said firmly, "I'm turning 42 now; what more could I ask for? Beyond home runs, my only goal is to do everything possible to achieve my final objective before retirement." He continued, "As it gets hotter, our team will become even stronger, so the second half should be exciting. I believe the real battle begins in the second half. As a veteran, I will contribute to making Samsung even stronger and capable of pushing forward," before departing for Daegu.

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*This content was translated by AI.