"(1st place) It’s definitely possible" — Samsung in 2nd place pulls off a stunning comeback, holding off KT and maintaining a 3-game gap... Bullpen war expected on the 25th [Incheon field report]

*This content was translated by AI.

"(Even for 1st place) It’s definitely possible."

For Samsung Lions manager Park Jin-man (50), a three-game gap was well within reach to overturn. Although few games remain, Samsung is still dreaming of a comeback since there are three final games left against the leading KT Wiz.

That made today’s victory even more critical. On the 24th, Samsung defeated the SSG Landers 5-4 in an away game at Incheon SSG Landers Field during the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League.

With two consecutive wins, Samsung improved to 78 wins, 52 losses, and 3 ties. The team maintained a three-game gap behind the leading KT Wiz while extending its lead over third-place LG Twins to 3.5 games.

Starting pitcher Ariel Farado delivered an outstanding performance. Known for his stability in the league, Farado has shown impressive pitching whenever he takes the mound this season despite some injury setbacks earlier. Today was no different.

Farado pitched flawlessly through six innings but allowed two runs in the bottom of the seventh when his team led 5-0. He finished with 95 pitches over seven innings, securing the win before leaving the mound.

In the lineup, Koo Ja-wook stood out. The batting leader opened with a hit in the first inning and drove in the first run with a powerful double to left-center field with no outs and a runner on first in the third. In the bottom of the seventh, with two outs and bases loaded while his team led 2-0, he added two more runs with another double, completing his three-hit game. By the eighth inning, he had become such a threat that opposing teams issued an automatic intentional walk with two outs and a runner on first.

The game seemed destined for an easy win until things took an unexpected turn in the final moments. After Farado left, the bullpen faltered in the eighth. Allowing hits and walks, they surrendered one run, narrowing the gap to 5-3. With two outs and runners on first and third, Kim Jae-yoon entered early. Facing fourth batter Kim Jae-hwan, he induced a groundout to first base to escape the danger.

The ninth inning was also challenging. After one out, consecutive hits came off Jeon Ui-san and Ahn Sang-hyun. Lee Ji-young was retired via strikeout, but with two outs and runners on first and second, Oh Tae-gon hit a ground ball toward the shortstop that resulted in an error, allowing one run to score. The score was now 5-4, with two outs and runners on first and third. Kim Jae-yoon remained composed. He retired Park Sung-han with a groundout to second base to close out the game.

Manager Park Jin-man praised the thrilling victory: "Farado showed exactly what we expect from our ace, delivering strong performances over long innings." He added, "In the lineup, Byeong-woo Jeon’s extra RBI (a one-run home run) in the sixth and Koo Ja-wook’s two RBIs in the seventh were decisive moments. Sang-jun Kim also contributed by reaching base with a hit after one out in the seventh, setting up that big inning."

Finally, he commended closer Kim Jae-yoon: "Although there were some dangerous situations, he handled them brilliantly." With this save, Kim added to his total, reaching a single-season personal record of 34 saves.

Before the game, Manager Park stated, "It’s also about morale and how well we can maintain focus in the final stretch to secure consecutive wins. We have three games left against KT, so our goal is to hold the gap until then and create a situation where we can decide the outcome at the end. I believe it’s definitely possible."

Although KT also won today and failed to close the gap, maintaining the three-game difference remains significant. While Samsung had struggled during KT’s seven-game winning streak, they regained momentum with their two consecutive victories.

With every game now critical, Kim Baek-san will take the mound on the 25th. SSG will counter with Lee Run, who has emerged as a new hope in their starting rotation. Since Samsung will have no games for three days after today’s match, they are expected to deploy their bullpen extensively and go all out.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.