Daegu:Won Tae-in, a pitcher for the Samsung Lions, fulfilled a lifelong dream by clinching the Korean Series title for his hometown team in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). The 26-year-old Daegu native was instrumental in the Lions' decisive 12-1 victory over the KT Wiz in Game 5, held at the Daegu Samsung Lions Park.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Won delivered an impressive performance, allowing only one run over five innings while striking out five batters. His efforts were supported by a robust Lions lineup, which provided ample run support. The only run scored against Won occurred via a sacrifice fly in the third inning. In a challenging moment in the fifth inning, with two runners on base, Won successfully diffused the situation by striking out Jang Jin-hyuk and forcing Kim Hyun-soo into a groundout.
Throughout the postseason, Won was initially positioned in the bullpen due to an injury to the team's All-Star closer, Kim Jae-yoon. However, following a less-than-stellar performance by another starter, Choi Won-tae, in Game 2, Won returned to the starting rotation for Game 5, where he excelled.
Won expressed gratitude and apologized to fans for the delayed championship victory, reflecting on the challenges he faced pitching from the bullpen and his determination to achieve the win. Despite a challenging season with a 7-9 record and a 4.52 ERA, Won has drawn interest from major league clubs as he enters free agency, although he remains focused on celebrating the Lions' victory.