Lions Find Power Surge at Home, Narrow Gap in Korean Series Against Tigers

DAEGU: After losing the opening two games of the Korean Series on the road against the Kia Tigers, the Samsung Lions returned to their home field with renewed vigor, securing a 4-2 victory at Daegu Samsung Lions Park. This win was marked by four solo home runs, raising the stadium's postseason home run total to 12 in just three games. According to Yonhap News Agency, Lions manager Park Jin-man expressed satisfaction with his team's performance at home, suggesting that the familiarity and comfort of their own stadium might have contributed to their success. "I think our guys looked a bit intimidated in Gwangju, but once they came here, they had more bounce in their steps," Park stated in his postgame press conference. "I was worried about our offense, but the guys who are expected to hit came through tonight." One key player in the Lions' offensive resurgence was designated hitter Park Byung-ho, who ended a 0-for-11 slump with a solo home run in the seventh inning. This home run put Park at the top of the al l-time Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) postseason home run rankings, tying him with former Lions star Lee Seung-yuop with 14 career postseason homers. Park's homer followed another solo shot by Kim Hun-gon, who hit his second home run of the series. Meanwhile, Tigers manager Lee Bum-ho attributed the loss more to his team's inability to solve Lions pitcher Reyes rather than the four home runs allowed. Lee noted that the Tigers struggled to adjust to Reyes' unexpected pitching strategy, which featured changeups rather than cutters. Despite the home runs conceded, Lee expressed a preference for this over allowing walks and multiple hits. Reliever Jeon Sang-hyun, who had been a key figure in the Tigers' bullpen earlier in the series, faced difficulties during the game, surrendering back-to-back homers on consecutive pitches. Lee commented on Jeon's performance, noting a decrease in velocity and indicating that the coaching staff would monitor his condition for future appearances.