'With' surpassed KS! Kim Jae-yoon's heroic 37-pitch save in the bottom of the 9th with bases loaded and one out, Samsung secures first place in the first half for the first time in 11 years [Daegu On-site Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

It was a game reminiscent of the Korean Series (KS). The Samsung Lions secured first place in the first half of the 2026 season by defeating the LG Twins, thanks to the heroic pitching of closer Kim Jae-yoon.

On the 9th, Samsung defeated LG 6-5 in a regular-season home game at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League. With this win, Samsung achieved a winning series with two wins and one loss, finishing the first half with 51 wins, 2 draws, and 32 losses (winning percentage 0.614). This allowed them to tie LG's record of 52 wins and 33 losses (winning percentage 0.612) in terms of win-loss difference and take first place based on the higher winning percentage. Samsung finishing the first half in first place is a record achieved for the first time since July 16, 2015, 11 years ago.

The turning point came in the top of the 9th inning when Samsung led 6-3. Closer Kim Jae-yoon entered the game, and pinch hitter Moon Sung-ju stepped up to the plate. Although Moon found himself in a disadvantageous count of 0 balls and 2 strikes from the start, he reached base via a walk after a nine-pitch battle. Hong Chang-gi hit a double into left field with no outs, loading second and third bases. Park Hae-min then grounded out to first base, scoring one run to narrow the gap.

LG batters showed remarkable focus. Austin drew a walk on the seventh pitch, followed by Song Chan-ui drawing a walk on the ninth pitch, filling all bases. Even Park Dong-won, known for his powerful swing, took every pitch from Kim Jae-yoon and earned a bases-loaded walk. LG mounted a 5-6 comeback attempt.

The intense battle ended anticlimactically. Cheon Seong-ho targeted the first pitch from Kim Jae-yoon, a fastball, which resulted in a routine ground ball to the shortstop, leading to a 6-4-3 double play. Kim Jae-yoon, who threw 37 pitches in just the 9th inning, recorded his 22nd save of the season and maintained sole first place in the race for saves champion.

The starting pitcher duel ended in a draw. Samsung's Won Tae-in pitched five innings, allowing eight hits, one hit-by-pitch, striking out four batters, and giving up three earned runs. LG's Lachlan Wells also pitched five innings, allowing five hits, two walks, striking out five batters, and giving up three earned runs (two unearned). Neither pitcher could be declared superior.

With Samsung recording nine hits and LG recording ten hits, totaling 19 hits exchanged between the teams, the home team's focus stood out slightly more. Park Seung-kyu went 2-for-3 with one walk and one run scored; Kang Min-ho went 2-for-3 with one RBI and two runs scored; and Kim Young-woong went 2-for-4 with one home run and one RBI, playing a key role. For LG, Hong Chang-gi went 3-for-5, while Song Chan-ui and Cheon Seong-ho recorded multi-hit games, but their efforts were overshadowed by the team's loss.

On this day, LG lined up with Hong Chang-gi (right fielder), Park Hae-min (center fielder), Austin Dean (designated hitter), Song Chan-ui (left fielder), Park Dong-won (catcher), Cheon Seong-ho (first baseman), Moon Bo-kyung (third baseman), Oh Ji-hwan (shortstop), and Shin Min-jae (second baseman). Lachlan Wells was the starting pitcher.

In response, Samsung lined up with Kim Ji-chan (center fielder), Park Seung-kyu (right fielder), Koo Ja-wook (left fielder), Choi Hyung-woo (designated hitter), Lewin Diaz (first baseman), Kang Min-ho (catcher), Kim Young-woong (third baseman), Sim Jae-hoon (shortstop), and Yang Woo-hyun (second baseman). Won Tae-in was the starting pitcher.

The home team took the lead first. In the bottom of the 1st inning with one out, Park Seung-kyu hit a double down the left-field line. Koo Ja-wook followed with a single to left field, driving in the go-ahead run. However, LG quickly responded. In the top of the 2nd inning with one out, Park Dong-won hit a single to left field, and Cheon Seong-ho hit a double into center-left field, creating a scoring opportunity. Oh Ji-hwan then hit a two-run single through center-left field, giving LG a 2-1 lead.

For LG, it was regrettable that they could not score more runs. In the top of the 3rd inning, leadoff hitter Hong Chang-gi and Park Hae-min reached base with consecutive singles to left field. Austin was hit by a pitch, resulting in bases loaded with no outs. Park Dong-won's sacrifice fly to center field scored one run, extending LG's lead. Cheon Seong-ho later reached on an infield single, but Moon Bo-kyung flew out to right field, ending the top of the 3rd inning.

Samsung also capitalized in the bottom of the 3rd. Yang Woo-hyun and Park Seung-kyu drew walks, creating a scoring opportunity with two outs and runners on first and third bases. Choi Hyung-woo then hit a single to left field, driving in one run to tie the game. Samsung finally achieved parity.

In the bottom of the 4th inning, Kang Min-ho's fly ball was not caught by left fielder Song Chan-ui. Shortstop Oh Ji-hwan attempted to catch it but failed. Kim Young-woong hit a single to left field, and when Sim Jae-hoon flew out to right field, runners were on first and third bases. Yang Woo-hyun's sacrifice fly to center field scored one run, tying the game at 3-3.

In the bottom of the 6th inning, with the score tied at 3-3, Samsung faced reliever Yacel Larios. Leadoff hitter Jeon Byeong-woo drew a walk. Kang Min-ho then hit a two-run double to left field, followed by Kim Sung-yoon's single to left field, giving Samsung a 5-3 lead. In the bottom of the 8th inning, Kim Young-woong added a solo home run over the center-field wall. LG failed to erase this lead, securing Samsung's victory.

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*This content was translated by AI.