"Unbelievable" — It turns out this was his first loss in nine postseason games! Manager Lee Kang-cheol also expresses regret: "He's not the kind of pitcher who throws that kind of walk..." [KS3 On-Site]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

National team pitcher and KT Wiz "big-game pitcher" So Hyoung-jun (25) suffered his first career postseason loss amid unfamiliar control issues. Manager Lee Kang-cheol (60), the team's skipper, also swallowed deep regret over the sudden waver in a card he had trusted.

So Hyoung-jun started Game 3 of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO Korea Series against the Samsung Lions on the 6th at Daegu Samsung Lions Park, throwing 103 pitches over six innings to record three hits allowed, five walks, six strikeouts, and four runs allowed (four earned runs). A tense, high-quality pitching duel was expected between him and opposing starter, Samsung ace Ariel Hurdado, but the five walks he gave up early in the game ultimately held him back. KT lost 1-5 on the day, falling behind 1-2 in the series.

Given that So Hyoung-jun had been stronger than anyone else on the autumn stage, this defeat hits particularly hard. Prior to the game, So Hyoung-jun had appeared in eight career postseason games (four as a starter), allowing only six runs (five earned) over 30⅓ innings, boasting an overwhelming record of three wins, no losses, one hold, and a 1.48 ERA. However, with this loss in Korea Series Game 3, he recorded his first career postseason defeat in his ninth autumn baseball game. His career postseason ERA also rose slightly to 2.23.

The decisive factor in the defeat, as pointed out by the skipper, was the unusual "walks." Entering the interview room with a stern expression after the game, Manager Lee Kang-cheol reflected on So Hyoung-jun's pitching, saying, "So Hyoung-jun is not the type of pitcher who throws that kind of walk where you can't see it at all. It seems we lost the early battle because his balance collapsed in the first and second innings," voicing his regret. The analysis suggests that the blunder was So Hyoung-jun, who usually runs games based on stable control, failing to find his target in the very early stages of the game, creating a crisis for himself and ceding the initiative.

Indeed, So Hyoung-jun surrendered as many as three walks in the bottom of the second inning alone, showing significant control issues. This ties the record for the most walks allowed in a single inning in Korea Series history. It is a rare record that had occurred only 34 times (by 31 players) up until now, starting with Samsung's Lee Sun-hee against OB in Game 1 (13th inning) on October 5, 1982, at Hanbat Stadium. However, it was an all the more unfamiliar scene given So Hyoung-jun's usually stable control. It was also a close call where he nearly set a new Korea Series record for most walks in a single inning had he allowed just one more walk in the second inning.

Nevertheless, the fact that he recovered his pitching balance immediately after giving up three runs in the bottom of the second inning was somewhat comforting. Manager Lee Kang-cheol said, "While player An Hyun-min was receiving treatment, it seemed So Hyoung-jun started to find his balance from that point on, which is fortunate. I saw him continuously practicing his pitching despite the cold weather and wondered if something was wrong, but I couldn't even think about replacing him early," expressing relief that So Hyoung-jun had finally found his target and stability.

KT, who suffered a bitter first defeat as their trusted "big-game pitcher" and ace also crumbled in Game 3, a crucial turning point in the series, now faces Game 4 on the 7th while backed into a corner with a 1-2 record. A total-effort strategy is expected to unfold, led by foreign left-hander Logan Allen, who has been designated as the starter to even the series at 2-2, deploying every available pitcher.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original