'Kim Do-young, stand there!' LG's Austin hits a three-run home run to left field for his 30th of the season... joining Woods and Thames as only the third player in history to hit 30 home runs in three consecutive seasons [Jamsil]

*This content was translated by AI.

LG Twins foreign hitter Austin Dean (33) has etched his name in KBO League and club history by hitting 30 home runs for three consecutive seasons.

On the 29th at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium, during a regular-season home game against Kiwoom Heroes in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League, Austin started as the third hitter and first baseman. In the bottom of the first inning with no outs and runners on first and third, he launched a three-run home run to left field.

Earlier in the bottom of the first, leadoff hitter Hong Chang-gi hit a line drive single to left-center field off opposing starter Ha Young-min. Park Hae-min also connected for an infield hit to center field after fouling off Ha's outside forkball.

With no outs and runners on first and third, Ha Young-min insisted on pitching outside to Austin. The first pitch cutter flew past the first-base foul line, and the second pitch forkball missed. However, the third pitch sweeper that broke away outside caught Austin's bat and soared over the left-field wall.

A 119.2-meter distance home run, his 30th of the season. This massive arc tied him with Kim Do-young (23·KIA Tigers), who reached 30 home runs on the 26th.

With this home run, Austin became only the ninth player in KBO history and the third foreign player to hit 30 home runs in three consecutive seasons. The previous foreign hitters to achieve three consecutive 30-home-run seasons were Tyrone Woods (formerly of OB Bears) and Eric Thames (formerly of NC Dinos). Among them, Woods succeeded in hitting 30 home runs for four consecutive seasons. Kiwoom's bench coach Park Byung-ho achieved six consecutive seasons with 30+ home runs, while former manager Lee Seung-yeop accomplished seven consecutive seasons.

LG constructed its lineup as follows: Hong Chang-gi (right fielder), Park Hae-min (center fielder), Austin Dean (first baseman), Moon Jung-bin (designated hitter), Moon Sung-ju (left fielder), Oh Ji-hwan (shortstop), Moon Bo-kyung (third baseman), Park Dong-won (catcher), and Gu Bon-hyeok (second baseman). The starting pitcher was Lachlan Wells.

Kiwoom countered with the following lineup: Seo Geon-chang (designated hitter), An Chi-hong (second baseman), Matt Davidson (first baseman), Park Chan-hyuk (right fielder), Im Byung-wook (center fielder), Kim Keon-hee (catcher), Lee Hyung-jong (left fielder), Kwon Hyeok-bin (shortstop), and Yeo Dong-wook (third baseman). The starting pitcher was Ha Young-min.

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*This content was translated by AI.