Austin is crazy! 'Comeback three-run homer → cycling hit' four-hit one-man show roars! LG snatches thrilling 5-4 comeback victory over NC [Jamsil On-Site Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

LG Twins foreign hitter Austin Dean (33) led a dramatic comeback victory with a one-man show featuring a cycling hit, including a go-ahead home run.

On the 25th, LG secured a thrilling 5-4 comeback win over NC Dinos in extra innings (10th) during their regular-season home game at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium as part of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League. With this victory, LG extended its winning streak to two games, improving to 62 wins, 1 draw, and 50 losses, maintaining third place. NC, now in a three-game losing streak, remained in eighth place with 48 wins, 2 draws, and 57 losses.

It was truly a game for Austin, by Austin, and about Austin. Having already warmed up the bat with two hits earlier, Austin turned the tide when LG trailed 0-2 in the bottom of the 8th with one out. First, Shin Min-jae drew a walk against Kim Jin-ho, followed by Park Hae-min's hit to right field that placed runners on first and third. From there, Austin crushed pitcher Son Ju-hwan's second pitch—a high slider—and sent it just over the left-field fence. The ball traveled 108.9 meters, marking his 33rd home run of the season.

But that wasn't the end. In the bottom of the 10th inning, after closer Son Ju-young blew a save opportunity, LG trailed 3-4. Once again, Austin changed the momentum of the game. Hitting pitcher Jeon Sa-min's sixth pitch—a two-seam fastball—he launched it all the way to the end of center field. The ball struck the top of the fence and bounced back, but NC outfielders failed to retrieve it in time, allowing Austin to reach third base safely.

Following that, Song Chan-ui capitalized on the first pitch, hitting a double down the left-field line to tie the game at 4-4. In response, NC made a bold decision to intentionally walk both Moon Bo-kyung and Moon Jeong-bin. Although Kwon Bon-hyuk and Park Dong-won were retired via infield fly balls, Hong Chang-gi sealed the victory with a massive double down the right-center field gap.

In the foreign starter matchup, NC came out ahead. Curtis Taylor of NC pitched 6 innings, allowing 2 hits, issuing 2 walks (1 intentional walk, 1 hit-by-pitch), recording 5 strikeouts, and remaining scoreless. LG's Anders Tollhurst also pitched 6 innings but allowed 5 hits, issued 2 walks, recorded 2 strikeouts, and gave up 2 earned runs. However, neither pitcher secured the win.

Austin accounted for half of LG's total hits, going 4-for-5 with one home run, three RBIs, and one run scored. Park Hae-min also contributed significantly, recording one hit in three at-bats, drawing a walk, scoring a run, and reaching base multiple times, achieving the 1st,100th career run in KBO history—the 17th player to do so. For NC, Choi Jeong-won went 2-for-4 with one run scored, while Bleyne went 1-for-4 with one RBI, but their efforts were overshadowed by the team's loss.

LG lined up its batting order as follows: Shin Min-jae (second baseman), Park Hae-min (center fielder), Austin Dean (first baseman), Song Chan-ui (left fielder), Moon Bo-kyung (third baseman), Moon Jeong-bin (designated hitter), Oh Ji-hwan (shortstop), Lee Ju-heon (catcher), and Hong Chang-gi (right fielder). The starting pitcher was Anders Tollhurst.

NC countered with the following lineup: Kim Ju-won (shortstop), Choi Jeong-won (center fielder), Park Min-woo (second baseman), Bleyne Cream (first baseman), Park Geon-woo (right fielder), Kim Hwi-jip (third baseman), Lee Woo-seong (designated hitter), Ahn Jung-yeol (third baseman), and Cheon Jae-hwan (left fielder).

Early momentum favored NC. In the top of the 2nd inning, leadoff batter Park Geon-woo singled to the infield, followed by Lee Woo-seong's hit to center field, placing runners on first and third with one out. Ahn Jung-yeol then hit a sacrifice fly that scored one run, sending the ball near the right-field fence. In the top of the 3rd inning, Choi Jeong-won reached base with a double down the right-center gap. Park Min-woo grounded into a fielder's choice at second base, and Bleyne followed with a single to center field that drove in one run, giving NC a 2-0 lead.

LG had a disappointing bottom of the 4th inning. With one out, Park Hae-min drew a walk, stole second base, Austin Dean hit a double, and Moon Bo-kyung drew a walk to load the bases with two outs. However, Moon Jeong-bin struck out swinging after a full count, failing to score any runs. The momentum shift came from Austin in the bottom of the 8th inning with one out and runners on first and third, when he hit a three-run home run to left field, instantly turning the game around.

NC's late-game comeback attempt was also impressive. Against closer Son Ju-young in the 9th inning, Ahn Jung-yeol and Cheon Jae-hwan recorded consecutive hits, while Kwon Hee-dong and Kim Hyung-jun drew back-to-back walks to tie the game at 3-3. In the top of the 10th inning, Park Geon-woo hit a double down the left-field line, followed by Kim Hwi-jip's groundout to shortstop, and Lee Woo-seong was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out. Shin Jae-in then scored on a lucky infield single, tying the game at 4-4. Unfortunately for NC, no further hits materialized.

Ultimately, Austin ended the game. As the leadoff batter in the bottom of the 10th inning, he hit a massive triple that struck the center-field fence, completing his cycling hit. With two outs and bases loaded due to consecutive intentional walks by the opposing team, Hong Chang-gi delivered a go-ahead double down the right-center field gap with one RBI, sealing the victory for LG.

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*This content was translated by AI.