KIA Tigers caught two rabbits at once, a victory and a record.
KIA, led by head coach Lee Bum-ho, won 7-6 at the 14th game of the season against SSG Landers of the 2024 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League at Gwangju-KIA Champions Field on Sunday. Having secured the Winning Series along with two consecutive wins, Kia has posted 73 wins, two draws and 48 losses (0.603).
With its victory, Kia has attracted 1 million spectators at its home. With 13,155 spectators entering the stadium, it is the second time since the opening of Gwangju-KIA Champions Field in 2014 and the first time in seven years since 2017. It has secured 11 games ahead of the record set in 2017 (70 games against Gwangju KT Wiz on Sept. 23).
Kia also has 24,615 players left in the club’s record of 1024,830 spectators set in 2017, and is likely to break the record of most sold out in home games if the current trend continues. Kia has sold out 21 times since the opening of the season (including when it was in a no-show arena).
Players responded with victory to fans’ support. On the mound, starting pitcher Kim Do-hyun allowed six hits (two homers), two strikeouts and two runs with two outs during four ⅓ innings, and bullpen pitchers minimized runs during four ⅔ innings. In particular, fifth pitcher Jeon Sang-hyun contributed to the team’s victory by not allowing a run with the bases loaded with no outs in the top of the seventh inning.
Choi Won-joon had three hits in the batting lineup, which made the team’s fifth starting hit this season, and Park Chan-ho, Socrates Brito, Na Sung-bum and Kim Sun-bin performed multi-hits. Kim Do-young, who recorded his 33rd home run of the season, broke the record for the youngest single-season home run in the KBO league. He also added two more points on the day, surpassing Roger Bernadina (118 points) in 2017 and breaking the Tigers franchise’ single-season scoring record.
KIA opened the scoring with Kim Do-young’s first two-run shot in the bottom of the first inning. Jeong Joon-jae’s timely RBI single allowed a run in the top of the second inning, but Park Chan-ho’s timely RBI single widened the gap again in the bottom of the second inning.
KIA allowed SSG to tie the game 3-3 with solo shots by Ha Jae-hoon and Oh Tae-gon in the top of the fourth inning, but regained the lead with Socrates’ RBI timely hit in the bottom of the fourth inning. Choi Won-joon’s timely RBI, Choi Hyung-woo’s timely RBI in the bottom of the fifth inning, and Socrates’ timely RBI in the bottom of the seventh inning led to a 7-3 run.
Closer Jung Hae-young was chased by one point when he dedicated a three-run home run to Ha Jae-hoon in the top of the ninth inning, but he ended the game by drawing a fly ball and strikeout to second baseman Lee Ji-young and Park Ji-hwan, respectively, with one out.
KIA opened the scoring with Kim Do-young’s first two-run shot in the bottom of the first inning. Jeong Joon-jae’s timely RBI single allowed a run in the top of the second inning, but Park Chan-ho’s timely RBI single widened the gap again in the bottom of the second inning.
KIA allowed SSG to tie the game 3-3 with solo shots by Ha Jae-hoon and Oh Tae-gon in the top of the fourth inning, but regained the lead with Socrates’ RBI timely hit in the bottom of the fourth inning. Choi Won-joon’s timely RBI, Choi Hyung-woo’s timely RBI in the bottom of the fifth inning, and Socrates’ timely RBI in the bottom of the seventh inning led to a 7-3 run. 먹튀검증
Closer Jung Hae-young was chased by one point when he dedicated a three-run home run to Ha Jae-hoon in the top of the ninth inning, but he ended the game by drawing a fly ball and strikeout to second baseman Lee Ji-young and Park Ji-hwan, respectively, with one out.
He also mentioned his fans. “Thanks to the fans’ enthusiastic support, we were able to achieve a meaningful result that exceeded 1 million viewers today (28th). I sincerely thank you,” Lee said.
Meanwhile, Kia aims to sweep the series with Eric Lauer as its starting pitcher on Tuesday. The starting pitcher of SSG is Kim Kwang-hyun.