SEOUL: The Samsung Lions clinched their first Korean Series berth in nine years by defeating the defending champions LG Twins 1-0 in a decisive game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium. The victory, watched by a sellout crowd of 23,750, finalized the Lions’ triumph in the best-of-five Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) postseason series, which they won in four games.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Lions’ win was secured by a pivotal solo home run from veteran catcher Kang Min-ho in the eighth inning. This came after an impressive performance by starter Denyi Reyes, who pitched seven scoreless innings. The victory has set the stage for the Lions to face the top-seeded Kia Tigers in the Korean Series, starting at 6:30 p.m. on Monday in Gwangju, located approximately 270 kilometers south of Seoul.
The Samsung Lions have a history of success, having won four consecutive Korean Series titles from 2011 to 2014. Their last appearance in the championship round was in 2015, where they were defeated by the Doosan Bears.
This marks only their second postseason appearance since that loss.
The elimination of the LG Twins guarantees that the KBO will see a new champion for the eighth year in a row. The last team to secure back-to-back championships was the Doosan Bears in 2015-2016.