“Emotional 3rd Place” – KIA’s Lee Beom-ho, Moved by the Result: “Was this what we aimed for…? I’m satisfied with today’s win; starting tomorrow…” [Gwangju On-Site]

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Lee Beom-ho (45), the skipper leading the KIA Tigers, left a victory reflection that seemed tinged with emotion.

In the regular season finale against the LG Twins at Gwangju-KIA Champions Field on the 12th of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League, KIA secured a 4-2 victory, powered by Kim Do-young’s dramatic go-ahead two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Having won the “3rd-place do-or-die match” while trailing by just half a game, KIA finished the season with a record of 79 wins, 2 draws, and 63 losses, overtaking LG (78 wins, 1 draw, 65 losses) by a 1.5-game margin to clinch the final 3rd-place spot.

With the 3rd-place finish, KIA advances directly to the Junior Playoffs (best-of-five series). After regrouping and taking a four-day break, they will face the winner of the Wild Card Series in Game 1 at their home ground in Gwangju on the 17th.

“Superstar” Kim Do-young emerged as the hero. With both teams tied 2-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning and a runner on first base with no outs, Kim Do-young faced LG left-handed reliever John Kennedy. With a favorable 2-0 count, he attacked the third pitch, a slider located in the middle of the plate, smashing a 130-meter go-ahead two-run home run to center field.

With this home run, Kim Do-young recorded his 45th of the season, overtaking Sam Hilliard (KT Wiz, 44 home runs), who had been tied for first place through the previous day, to take sole possession of the top spot and claim his first career home run championship title. He also simultaneously achieved a double milestone by hitting his 100th career home run (the 111st in KBO history).

The game remained tense throughout, characterized by a pitching duel and back-and-forth offense. KIA took the early lead in the bottom of the first inning when Park Jae-hyun hit a solo home run to right field (his 19th of the season), suppressing LG’s momentum. In response, LG tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the second inning when Park Dong-won drew a solo home run to left field off Yang Hyeon-jong (his 14th of the season).

In the bottom of the fourth inning, KIA took a 2-1 lead with a squeeze bunt by Kim Sun-bin, capitalizing on a one-out, runners-on-first-and-third opportunity created by Kim Do-young’s hit-by-pitch and Harold Castro’s single. However, LG proved to be no pushover. In the top of the sixth inning, with two outs and no runners on base, “No. 4 hitter” Moon Jung-bin faced KIA’s second pitcher Jo Sang-woo and launched a solo home run to center field (his 19th of the season), tying the game at 2-2 again.

Ultimately, KIA’s hero appeared in the bottom of the eighth inning. Leadoff batter Park Jae-hyun reached base with a surprise bunt hit toward third base. Following him, Kim Do-young drew the decisive two-run arc, cementing his status as the hero.

KIA held on to the victory thanks to Jeon Sang-hyun, who entered in relief during a no-out, runner-on-first-base crisis in the top of the eighth inning and pitched two perfect innings through the top of the ninth. Jeon Sang-hyun collected his fourth win of the season (2 losses, 4 saves). Starting pitcher Yang Hyeon-jong laid the foundation for the victory with a strong performance, pitching five innings while allowing three hits (one home run), one walk, and one earned run, striking out three batters.

After the win, Manager Lee Beom-ho said, “Was this what we worked so hard to achieve?” sharing a somewhat emotional reflection. He praised his players, stating, “Our players are truly amazing. Kim Do-young, who hit the dramatic go-ahead two-run home run; Park Jae-hyun, who executed a surprise bunt and reached base to create an opportunity despite having a 20-home run-20-stolen base record on the line; Yang Hyeon-jong, who limited damage to one run over five innings despite pitching only four days after his last start; and Jeon Sang-hyun, who entered in a crisis situation and shut down two innings perfectly. It was truly an important game, and everyone did an incredible job.”

Manager Lee continued, “I want to praise all the players who beautifully decorated the end of the 144th-game season. I also want to express my gratitude to the coaching staff for diligently guiding our players well. And I bow my head in thanks to the front office, which always spares no support, and to the fans who filled the stadium today to accompany us through the final game.” He then reaffirmed his resolve, saying, “I am satisfied with today’s win as today’s achievement, but starting tomorrow, I will think only about the Junior Playoffs.”

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original