The .100 hitter who toppled Lee Ui-ri, hitting his first career grand slam walk-off home run in a life-defining game! "Since I was going to be out anyway, I thought, 'Just swing wildly...'"

*This content was translated by AI.

Kiwoom Heroes' veteran catcher Kim Jae-hyun (33) ignited Gocheok Dome into a cauldron of excitement by hitting his first-ever "walk-off reverse grand slam" — a home run that had not been hit in nearly four years (precisely 1,551 days).

On the 23rd, Kiwoom staged a dramatic comeback at their home game against KIA Tigers at Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro-gu, Seoul, scoring six runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to win 8-7.

That day, Kiwoom trailed 2-7 entering the bottom of the ninth. With one out and a runner on first base, Kwon Hyuk-bin reached first base. Following consecutive hits by Seo Geon-chang and Choi Jae-hyun, the bases were loaded with one out. David's two-run single brought the score to 4-7. After Yeo Dong-wook struck out, Kim Jae-hyun stepped up to the plate with two outs and bases loaded.

Opponent Lee Ui-ri, a left-handed reliever known for his powerful closing ability this season, threw fastballs clocking up to 157 km/h. Kim Jae-hyun's mind, however, was simple. He recalled advice from Future League team manager Oh Yoon during his time in the Futures League: "Since you're going to be out anyway, don't play too passively — just swing wildly."

After the game, Kim Jae-hyun reflected, "I thought I might be the final out of the game. My only thought was, 'If I'm going to strike out anyway, why not try to hit it once in front?' He said with a laugh, 'I don't think I could do it again if asked.'" Facing Lee Ui-ri's fastballs, Kim swung and missed twice before fouling off pitches repeatedly. On the seventh pitch — a 155 km/h fastball inside and high — he made solid contact, sending the ball soaring over the left-field fence. This was his eighth career home run, hitting exactly 1,551 days after his previous one on May 25, 2022, against LG at Jamsil Stadium. It was a walk-off grand slam that sealed the victory.

Kim Jae-hyun said, "I couldn't see the ball clearly. I only realized it was a home run when I saw the lights go out while running the bases along with the crowd's cheers." This single hit made Kim the 26th player in KBO history to hit a walk-off grand slam. For Kiwoom this season, it was their second such home run since An Chi-hong's against KT on May 10. For Kim personally, it marked his first-ever walk-off home run in his professional debut (sixth of the season, 388th career) and his first grand slam (32nd of the season, 1,154th career).

This was a dramatic turnaround for the veteran who had spent most of the season with the Futures League team, batting only in the .100 range. Kim's seasonal batting average rose from 0.100 to 0.182 thanks to this home run. Supporting starter Kim Geon-hee quietly while leading younger players, Kim said, "Baseball has never felt better than today. It feels like a life-defining game." He added, "I hope the players in the minor league also gain positive energy from this — that opportunities can come anytime if they prepare diligently."

After the game, Kiwoom manager Seol Jong-jin (53) praised, "Starting pitcher Jeon Jun-pyo's outstanding performance and the ninth-inning lineup's focus were incredible. David laid the foundation for the comeback with his home run in the third inning, followed by veteran Kim Jae-hyun's walk-off grand slam that led the team to victory." He also added, "I congratulate Seo Geon-chang on achieving 100 hits in a season for the first time in five years, and I thank all fans who continued to support us until the end."

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*This content was translated by AI.