Seoul: Facing a daunting 0-2 deficit in their best-of-five series against the Samsung Lions, the LG Twins, last year’s champions, are on the brink of elimination from the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) postseason. The team is gearing up for a critical Game 3 at Jamsil Baseball Stadium with a resolve to play more aggressively.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Twins have struggled in the postseason, particularly in their pitching and batting against the Lions’ starters. In the first two games, held at the homer-friendly Daegu Samsung Lions Park, the Twins were outscored 20-9. The team hit only three home runs compared to the eight by the Lions, with two of the Twins’ homers coming in the late stages of a 10-5 loss in Game 2.
Twins captain Kim Hyun-soo, who delivered a three-run homer in the ninth inning of Game 2, expressed that the performance felt “meaningless” given the overall result and the immediate day off that followed. He emphasized the need for a change in approach, suggesting that the team h
ad been too cautious. “Their pitchers have been great and we haven’t had any answers,” Kim said during a post-practice interview. “But instead of trying not to get beat, we have to try to go down swinging even if we don’t get the win.”
The shift from Daegu to Seoul brings the series to Jamsil Baseball Stadium, known for its expansive outfield that tends to suppress home runs. This setting challenges teams to focus more on strategy, such as opposite-field hits, sacrifice bunts, and steals, rather than relying solely on power hitting. Park Hae-min, who also homered in Game 2, highlighted the Twins’ successful regular season strategy of aggressive base running. With 171 steals during the regular season, the second-highest in the league, Park believes this could be key in turning the series around. “Stealing bases has been our identity the past couple of years and I think it will give us the best chance to win here,” he stated.
As the Twins prepare for Game 3, the pressure is on, but the team’s resolve to adjus
t their gameplay and fight back shows their determination not to exit the postseason without a strong challenge.