Even with a grand slam and six RBIs, Kim Ho-ryeong reflected: "Am I not lacking? I failed to judge bad pitches well..."

*This content was translated by AI.

Despite hitting six RBIs—his career high in a single game—and launching a decisive grand slam home run, KIA Tigers outfielder Kim Ho-ryeong (34) remained calm. Instead of celebrating, he immediately engaged in cold self-reflection, reviewing his recent increase in strikeouts and batting struggles.

On the 21st at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, Kim Ho-ryeong started as the ninth batter and center fielder against Kiwoom Heroes. He recorded four hits in four at-bats (one home run), six RBIs, and two runs scored, leading his team to an 11-1 victory.

Kim Ho-ryeong's bat was sharp whenever opportunities arose. In the bottom of the second inning with two outs and a runner on first base, he hit a single to right field to find his rhythm. Then, in the bottom of the sixth with one out and runners on first and third, he calmly hit a sacrifice fly to center field to drive in a run.

The decisive blow came in the seventh inning. With a 4-1 lead, two outs, and bases loaded, he crushed Kiwoom's relief pitcher Park Ji-sung's 76 mph (123 km/h) changeup, sending it soaring over the left-center field fence for a grand slam. In his final at-bat in the bottom of the ninth, Kim added an RBI double to set a new single-game record with six RBIs, surpassing his previous personal best of five RBIs. Although he had recorded five-RBI games four times before, he had never achieved six RBIs in a single game.

After the game, Kim Ho-ryeong shared his thoughts: "I'm happy to set a new personal record for most RBIs in a single game, and even more so because our team secured a victory that extends its winning streak. It feels great to finally hit well at the plate after a long time."

Regarding the grand slam situation, he explained: "I was looking for a fastball, but after seeing a changeup on the previous pitch, I calculated that this timing would be right to make contact. I swung as planned, and although it was a poorly located off-speed pitch, it resulted in a solid hit." He also reflected on his ninth-inning double: "I wasn't thinking about RBIs or records at all. I just focused on getting the timing right, and it worked out well."

This season, Kim has been on a career-high home run pace (13 home runs) across 108 games, but his strikeouts have also increased significantly (123). When asked if this was the result of swinging too aggressively, Kim shook his head and spoke candidly.

He stated: "It's not that I'm swinging more aggressively; rather, I think I'm struggling to judge bad pitches properly. I need to make better decisions on strikes and balls, but I feel I'm still lacking in that area."

Addressing his batting slump during the 10th games played in August, where he hit .250, he said: "It wasn't a physical issue. As my strikeouts increased, I overthought things at the plate and felt like I was chasing myself into a deep pit. Although I had difficult times when my bat swung at bad pitches, I kept telling myself that if I hold on, I'll come back up. Now that I'm gradually finding my rhythm again, I will maintain good momentum in the remaining games." His season batting average had previously dipped from .280 to .260.

Finally, Kim Ho-ryeong did not forget to praise his outfield teammates who provided strong defensive support. He said: "When Na Sung-beom (right fielder) chased down a fly ball, I was genuinely surprised—he would have missed it last year. Seeing him handle even foul balls near the fence perfectly made me realize his defense has definitely improved." He continued: "Park Jae-hyun is also an excellent defender. From center field, he's incredibly reliable and easy to play with. Even though he's a junior player, he performs his role so well that I don't need to offer him any advice."

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*This content was translated by AI.