DAEGU: The Kia Tigers moved within a win of securing their 12th Korean Series championship after defeating the Samsung Lions 9-2 in Game 4 of the Korea Baseball Organization finals. Starting pitcher James Naile and catcher Kim Tae-gun played pivotal roles in the match held at Daegu Samsung Lions Park, putting the Tigers up 3-1 in the best-of-seven series.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim Tae-gun’s grand slam and James Naile’s effective pitching over 5 2/3 innings were crucial in the Tigers’ victory. The Tigers broke the game open with a six-run third inning, turning a 1-0 advantage into a commanding 7-0 lead. Socrates Brito initiated the scoring spree with a two-run single, and Kim followed with a grand slam off reliever Song Eun-beom, marking his first career postseason home run.
The game took an unexpected turn when Lions starter Won Tae-in was removed due to a shoulder issue after throwing 78 pitches. Despite earlier success in Game 1, he could not replicate his performance. Kim’s grand slam was the
fifth in Korean Series history, and the first since current Tigers manager Lee Bum-ho hit one in 2017.
Kim Tae-gun, participating in his third Korean Series, is having a standout performance, batting 5-for-13 with a home run and six RBIs. Meanwhile, James Naile, recovering from a broken jaw, successfully kept the Lions at bay, leveraging his sweeper pitch to secure five of his seven strikeouts.
Naile’s outing was efficient, as he managed a pitch count of 71, comprising mainly two-seam fastballs and sweepers. Tigers manager Lee Bum-ho had intended to let Naile pitch around 100 times to conserve the bullpen, but with the team leading comfortably, Naile was rested. The Tigers aim to clinch the championship in Game 5 on Monday at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field.