SUWON, South Korea — The NC Dinos are one victory away from making their third appearance in the Korean Series, thanks to a 3-2 win over the KT Wiz in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) playoffs on Tuesday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, starter Shin Min-hyeok pitched 6 1/3 shutout innings, and shortstop Kim Ju-won made a ninth-inning, game-saving catch. The game took place at KT Wiz Park in Suwon, south of Seoul.
Shin Min-hyeok, in only his second career postseason start, set the stage for the Dinos' victory. His performance was further complemented by Kim Ju-won, who caught a soft liner from Oh Yoon-suk with two outs in the ninth, preventing the tying run. The Dinos are scheduled to play Game 3 on Thursday at their home field, Changwon NC Park, in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province.
In the first inning, Park Kun-woo of the Dinos belted a two-run home run off KT Wiz starter Wes Benjamin. With his performance, Park Kun-woo is hitting .458 for the postseason.
The Dinos capitalized on a KT Wiz error in the third inning to extend their lead. With Kim Ju-won on third base, a fielding error by KT Wiz first baseman Park Byung-ho allowed another run, bringing the score to 3-0 in favor of the Dinos.
The Wiz managed to score two runs in the later innings but fell short of tying the game. They had the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning when Kim Ju-won made his game-saving catch, ending the Wiz's chances of a comeback.
Dinos manager Kang In-kwon identified Shin Min-hyeok and catcher Kim Hyung-jun as the game's MVPs. He acknowledged Shin's exceptional pitching and Kim's game-calling skills. The Wiz's manager, Lee Kang-chul, noted that his team lacked luck in the final moments of the game.
This victory marks the Dinos' ninth straight postseason win, tying an all-time record. They have an opportunity to make history in Game 3, which is scheduled for Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Changwon NC Park.