'Kim Gerkka' Operation Fails → Castro Delivers 6 RBIs! KIA Sweeps KT in Three Games... Kim Do-young Falls Short of Youngest 40-Home Run Record, Instead Hits 4-for-4 [Gwangju Field Review]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

KT Wiz's decision to bypass Kim Do-young and target Harold Castro ended in a major blunder. Castro delivered four hits and six RBIs, leading his team to victory. While Kim Do-young failed to set the KBO record as the youngest player to reach 40 home runs, he drove his team to victory with four hits.

On the 6th, KIA defeated KT 8-3 in a regular-season home game at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League.

With this win, KIA completed a three-game sweep over KT, improving to 66 wins, 2 ties, and 52 losses. They narrowed the gap with third-place LG Twins, who also lost on the same day, by just 0.5 games. Second-place KT, now in the midst of a shocking three-game losing streak, stands at 69 wins, 3 ties, and 46 losses, trailing first-place Samsung Lions by 1.5 games.

In the pitching duel, KIA came out ahead. Neill of KIA pitched six innings, allowing nine hits and one walk while striking out four batters and giving up two earned runs, completing a Quality Start (QS: at least six innings with three or fewer earned runs). This marks his sixth consecutive QS in his last six games. In the bottom of the third inning with one out and runners on first and second, he induced Kim Hyun-soo into a double play. Even after allowing a double to Choi Won-jun in the fifth inning, he prevented further runs, demonstrating strong crisis management skills.

In contrast, KT's Daniel Davis, facing KIA for the first time, held his own until midway through the game but could not contain Castro. He pitched three innings, allowing five hits and three walks while striking out three batters, giving up three earned runs and suffering his second loss of the season (1-1 record).

Offensively, Castro was clearly the standout. Going 4-for-4 with no home runs, he drove in six RBIs, accounting for three-quarters of his team's total runs. Kim Do-young failed to break the KBO record as the youngest player to reach 40 home runs. However, he went 4-for-4 with three runs scored and one walk, reaching base five times, showing he remains in top form. KT managed 11 hits, including multi-hit games from Kim Min-hyuk, Kim Hyun-soo, and Heo Kyung-min, but like the previous day (the 5th), they struggled to score in scoring positions.

For this game, KIA lined up Lee Ho-yeon (second baseman), Park Jae-hyun (left fielder), Kim Do-young (third baseman), Castro (first baseman), Na Sung-beom (right fielder), Kim Sun-bin (designated hitter), Kim Ho-ryeong (center fielder), Kim Tae-gun (catcher), and Ha Joo-seok (shortstop). Neill started on the mound.

KT countered with Choi Won-jun (center fielder), Kim Min-hyuk (designated hitter), Ahn Hyun-min (right fielder), Sam Hilliard (left fielder), Kim Hyun-soo (first baseman), Heo Kyung-min (third baseman), Kim Sang-su (second baseman), Han Seung-taek (catcher), and Kwon Dong-jin (shortstop). Daniel Davis started on the mound.

Both teams exchanged runs from the start. In the bottom of the first inning with one out, Park Jae-hyun drew a walk, and Kim Do-young singled to left field, putting runners on first and second. Castro then hit a sacrifice fly to right field for an RBI, giving KIA the lead. KT responded in the top of the second inning with one out: Heo Kyung-min singled to right field, followed by Kim Sang-su's single to center field, loading the bases. Han Seung-taek then hit a sacrifice fly to center field for an RBI, tying the game at 1-1.

KIA took the lead again. In the bottom of the third inning, Park Jae-hyun and Kim Do-young each singled to left field, loading the bases. Castro then hit another sacrifice double to left-center field for an RBI, extending KIA's lead. Na Sung-beom added an RBI with a sacrifice fly to left field, making it 3-1 in favor of KIA.

KT launched a counterattack. In the top of the sixth inning with one out, Kim Hyun-soo hit a double down the left-field line, and Heo Kyung-min singled to the infield, putting runners on first and third. Ryu Hyeon-in then hit a sacrifice fly to left-center field for an RBI, cutting the deficit to 3-2. However, Han Seung-taek grounded into a double play, failing to tie the game.

KIA extended their lead further. In the bottom of the sixth inning, leadoff batter Ha Joo-seok was hit by a pitch and reached base. Substitute runner Jung Hyun-chang advanced to second on a wild pitch. KT intentionally walked Kim Do-young automatically, but Castro then hit a two-RBI double down the right-field line, increasing the score gap to 5-2.

A similar pattern unfolded in the eighth inning. In the top of the eighth, Ahn Hyun-min doubled down the left-field line, followed by Hilliard's fly ball to center field with one out and a runner on third. Kim Hyun-soo singled to the infield, scoring one run. However, Heo Kyung-min and Ryu Hyeon-in both grounded out consecutively, failing to score again.

In the bottom of the eighth, KIA capitalized on an error by KT's shortstop on a throw from leadoff batter Jung Hyun-chang, reaching base. Kim Do-young then singled to the infield, creating a one-out, first-and-third situation. At that moment, Sugiimoto Kouki was hit in the shin by a hard ground ball off Kim Do-young and was immediately replaced by Park Young-hyun. However, Park Young-hyun allowed Castro's two-RBI double to left-center field and Na Sung-beom's one-RBI double down the right-field line, giving up three runs before being replaced by Lee Jung-hyun.

Lee Ui-ri, who entered in the ninth inning, retired Oh Yun-seok and Bae Jeong-dae with strikeouts, pitching a scoreless inning to make up for the disappointment of the previous game.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original