Daegu:The Samsung Lions powered their way to an 8-3 victory against the Kia Tigers, leveling their South Korean baseball postseason series on Tuesday. The Lions showcased their strength with two home runs, delivering a strong performance in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) at Daegu Samsung Lions Park.
According to Yonhap News Agency, cleanup hitter Lewin Diaz smashed a two-run home run, while 42-year-old veteran Choi Hyoung-woo added a solo shot, contributing to the Lions' triumph in the second game of the best-of-five series. Starting pitcher Ariel Jurado secured his first career postseason win with a solid 6 2/3 innings.
Choi Hyoung-woo made history by becoming the oldest player to hit a home run and record an RBI in a KBO postseason game. The Lions' lineup managed nine hits in front of a sellout crowd of 23,550, bouncing back after a two-hit performance in a 5-1 defeat during Monday's series opener.
The series will now move to the Tigers' home city of Gwangju for Games 3 and 4, scheduled for Thursday and Friday at 630 p.m. The winner of this series will face the KT Wiz, who topped the regular season standings, in the upcoming Korean Series.
The Tigers initially took the lead with a sacrifice fly by Lee Ho-yeon in the third inning. However, the Lions responded with a four-run rally in the same inning, highlighted by Diaz's two-run homer. The Lions extended their lead with additional runs in the fifth and sixth innings, exploiting the Tigers' bullpen struggles.
Despite a wild pitch allowing a Tigers' run in the seventh, the Lions maintained control, with Choi delivering another home run. The Tigers managed to add a final run in the eighth, but it was not enough to challenge the Lions' dominance in the game.