SEOUL: By knocking off the defending champions in South Korean baseball, the Samsung Lions gave themselves a chance to end a 10-year title drought. The Lions beat the LG Twins 1-0 to take the best-of-five series in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) postseason in four games. The victory at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul sent the Lions to the Korean Series, where they will face the top seed Kia Tigers beginning Monday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, this will be the Lions’ first appearance in the Korean Series since 2015, when they lost to the Doosan Bears in five games. The Lions had previously won four consecutive titles from 2011 to 2014. This series also marks the fourth Korean Series meeting between the Lions and the Tigers, a storied rivalry in the KBO. The Tigers won the first three meetings in 1986, 1987, and 1993.
Lions manager Park Jin-man, who has six Korean Series rings from his time as an All-Star shortstop, is making his first Korean Series appearance as a manager. Park expressed his exh
ilaration after the victory, stating, “I am walking on clouds right now. At the start of this season, I never even dreamed of reaching the Korean Series. My players have done wonderful work and I am grateful.”
The Lions demonstrated their offensive prowess in the first two games at Daegu Samsung Lions Park, scoring a combined total of 29 runs and hitting eight home runs. However, they faced a tougher challenge at Jamsil, losing Game 3 by a single run before clinching the series with another 1-0 win. Starter Denyi Reyes was instrumental in securing the victories in Games 1 and 4, allowing only one earned run across 13 2/3 innings.
Park Jin-man acknowledged the contributions of both Reyes and Game 2 winner Won Tae-in, emphasizing the need for improved hitting in the Korean Series. With limited reliance on starters due to rainouts, Park plans to make roster adjustments, including the potential addition of an extra starter.
Right-hander Connor Seabold is unlikely to return for the Korean Series as he is curren
tly undergoing treatment for an injured shoulder in the United States. Veteran reliever Oh Seung-hwan was also left off the roster due to recent performance issues. Park indicated that the coaching staff would reevaluate these decisions leading up to the series.
The LG Twins, meanwhile, fell short in their quest to reach the Korean Series for a second consecutive year. After finishing third in the regular season, they overcame the KT Wiz in a five-game series but were unable to surpass the Lions. Twins manager Youm Kyoung-youb noted the toll of the additional early-stage games and expressed a desire to start the postseason from a stronger position next year.
The Twins’ bullpen struggled compared to last year, affected by player departures for military service and Major League Baseball. Manager Youm plans to address these issues during the offseason to strengthen the team’s future performance.
This year’s KBO postseason ensures a different champion for the eighth consecutive season, with the 2015-2016 Doosa
n Bears being the last to win back-to-back titles.