“A Grand Slam” Again: KIA’s Kim Do-young Hits a Bases-Loaded Home Run, Writing History That Will Be Remembered in the “Postseason.” Ties 2001 Record with Moises Alou [On-Site Report from Game 3 of the Preliminary Playoffs]

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KIA Tigers’ Kim Do-young hit a bases-loaded home run in Game 3 of the Preliminary Playoffs (best-of-five series) against the LG Twins. It was a massive 145-meter home run, writing history that will be remembered as a tie for the longest home run in postseason history.

KIA plays LG in Game 3 of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO Postseason Preliminary Playoffs on the 20th at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium.

Having won both Game 1 and Game 2 of the Preliminary Playoffs against LG, KIA has achieved a two-game winning streak and needs just one more win to advance to the Playoffs.

And Kim Do-young once again demonstrated the presence of a superstar.

In the top of the second inning, with both teams tied 0-0. KIA’s offense.

Leadoff hitter Na Seung-beom secured an early advantage by drawing a solo home run over the center field fence against LG starter Carlos Karasuko.

Following Kim Sun-bin’s flyout to center field, Han Jun-su reached base on an error by the first baseman. The hard-hit grounder to first base was dropped by LG first baseman Moon Jung-bin as he attempted a catch. Although Moon eventually secured the ball and threw to first base, it was after Han Jun-su had already touched the base.

Continuing the rally, KIA’s Kim Gyu-seong hit a single to center field, placing runners on first and second bases. Then, Ha Ju-seok reached on a walk, loading the bases for KIA. Here, KIA leadoff hitter Park Jeong-woo delivered an RBI single to left field, making it 2-0.

Ultimately, Karasuko’s outing ended there. LG immediately brought Kennedy onto the pitcher's mound to break KIA’s momentum.

As soon as Kennedy took the mound, he was hit for an RBI single to left field by Park Jae-hyun. The score became 0-3.

And the next batter was Kim Do-young. The first pitch was a 143 km/h fastball. The second pitch, a changeup (132 km/h), went for a ball. Then came the third pitch. Kennedy’s 144.4 km/h fastball drifted slightly toward the middle of the plate. Kim Do-young crushed it. The ball cut through the night sky over Jamsil Stadium and sailed directly over the left-center field fence. Kim Do-young, who started walking toward first base as soon as the bat made contact, watched the ball’s trajectory. It was a bases-loaded home run.

With this grand slam, KIA took a 7-0 lead. The exit velocity was 179.3 km/h. The launch angle was 27.4 degrees. The distance reached an impressive 145.8 meters. The KIA fan section on the third-base side, a sea of red, was in a frenzy. It was the 21st bases-loaded home run in postseason history and the 9th such home run in Preliminary Playoffs history.

Furthermore, according to KBO, this was the longest home run in Preliminary Playoffs history. The previous record was 135 meters (Park Byung-ho of the former Kiwoom against LG on October 10, 2019, Jamsil Game 4, and two other instances). It also ties the record for the longest home run in postseason history (previous record: Moises Alou of the Doosan Bears against Samsung on October 28, 2001, Jamsil Korea Series Game 6; based on KBO official measurements since 2000).

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original