'Jeon Sang-hyun records 4 outs for save in two straight games'; Even with a two-game winning streak, KIA Tigers face uncertainty... LG Twins bullpen finds clue to counterattack with '7⅔ innings, 1 run allowed' [Preliminary Playoffs Game 3]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

The LG Twins, pushed to the brink after a two-game losing streak, discovered a clue for a counterattack from their bullpen despite facing the worst-case scenario of an early removal of their starting pitcher in the second game of the Preliminary Playoffs (Preliminary PO).

LG will face the KIA Tigers in Game 3 of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO Postseason Preliminary PO (best-of-five series) at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium on the 20th.

After losing 1-5 in Game 1 on the 17th and 3-6 in Game 2 on the 18th, LG is in a do-or-die situation where they must win all three remaining games to advance to the Playoffs (PO).

Both games were difficult from the early stages. In Game 1, starter Anders Tolhurst (27) was removed after five innings with three runs allowed (two earned). He surrendered a go-ahead solo home run to KIA's Kim Do-young (23), and defensive errors compounded the issue, ceding control of the game. The situation was even more serious in Game 2. Starter Im Chan-gyu (34) allowed six hits and one walk while recording only one out in the first inning, resulting in five runs allowed. However, an unexpected turn of events unfolded on the mound thereafter.

John Kennedy (32) pitched 1⅔ innings, and Lee Woo-chan (34) took over for 1⅔ innings. Following them, Woo Kang-hoon (24) pitched 1⅓ innings, Son Ju-young (28) one inning, Kim Gang-ryul (38) one inning, and Kim Jin-soo (26) one inning. Six LG relief pitchers covered 7⅔ innings, holding the KIA lineup to two hits allowed and one run allowed.

After giving up five runs in the first inning, there was only one additional run allowed over the remaining 7⅔ innings. LG manager Yeom Kyung-yeop (58) assessed after the game, "We allowed many runs in the first inning, but our bullpen pitchers did a good job of limiting damage with minimal runs allowed afterward."

An even more welcome scene was Son Ju-young's return. Son Ju-young, who recorded 31 saves in this year's regular season, was unable to play in the Wild Card Series (WC) due to a neck injury. However, after returning to the Preliminary PO roster, he covered one inning in Game 2, completing his first live appearance. This confirmed that LG still has pitchers capable of taking over the late innings if their starter can hold the line for a certain number of innings.

On the other hand, KIA has a different concern: the pressure of crucial moments is concentrated on closer Jeon Sang-hyun (30). In Game 1, starter James Neal (33) pitched seven innings with one run allowed, and in Game 2, Adam Ottavino (32) pitched six innings with two runs allowed. The two foreign pitchers covered 13 innings, significantly reducing the burden on the bullpen.

However, in the most critical moments of the late game, Jeon Sang-hyun was ultimately needed. In Game 1, Sung Young-tak (22) and Gwak Do-gyu (22) took the mound after Neal, but Jeon Sang-hyun was deployed at the decisive moment in the eighth inning. Jeon Sang-hyun covered 1⅓ innings to preserve the 5-1 victory.

Game 2 was similar. KIA activated their bullpen from the seventh inning while leading 6-2, deploying Gwak Do-gyu, Sung Young-tak, and Jo Sang-woo (32) in sequence. However, as LG mounted a comeback in the eighth inning, they had to call for Jeon Sang-hyun again. Once again, Jeon Sang-hyun entered with two outs in the eighth inning and took responsibility until the final out. It was his second consecutive day pitching 1⅓ innings.

KIA manager Lee Beom-ho (45) is also aware of the burden on Jeon Sang-hyun. Immediately after Game 1, the manager acknowledged, "It is indeed a concern," regarding Jeon's pitch count and fatigue, while expressing trust by stating, "In the current situation, we cannot take Jeon Sang-hyun out."

This is precisely where LG must focus its attack. Of course, it cannot be said that the entire KIA bullpen is more fatigued than LG's. Thanks to Neal and Ottavino covering 13 innings, KIA had a clear advantage in starter management. LG also deployed six relief pitchers in Game 2, resulting in significant bullpen usage.

The fact that KIA relies on Jeon Sang-hyun in close games can also serve as a clue for LG's counterattack. If LG can stick closely to the game until the late innings and force KIA into a situation where they have no choice but to deploy Jeon Sang-hyun, the flow of the game could change. Of course, this requires their starting pitcher to hold the line first. LG will field Carlos Karasuko (39) in Game 3 at Jamsil on the 20th. Karasuko earned the win with six innings and one run allowed in WC Game 1 against Doosan on the 14th.

If Karasuko covers five to six innings, LG can operate its bullpen more efficiently, having confirmed its potential in Game 2. It is also possible to focus on deploying Son Ju-young, Lee Woo-chan, and Kennedy at critical moments. However, whether Son Ju-young, returning from a neck injury, can pitch consecutive games and his pitch count remain variables.

However, pitchers alone cannot win the game. In Game 2, LG recorded nine hits, more than KIA, but managed only three runs. Park Hae-min (36) contributed with three hits, and Ku Bon-hyuk (29) with two, but the lineup lacked a decisive blow in scoring position.

Ultimately, LG's counterattack scenario is clear. Karasuko must minimize early runs allowed, and the lineup must score first to rattle KIA starter Keisuke Shirokawa (25). Ideally, they should maintain a close game until the late innings and exploit gaps in the KIA bullpen.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original