Gwangju:After a pivotal victory in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) postseason, Kia Tigers manager Lee Bum-ho announced his intention to maintain the current lineup for the decisive game of the series. The Tigers secured a 4-2 win against the Samsung Lions in Game 4 of the best-of-five second round at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field, tying the series at two games each.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee adjusted the batting order following losses in Games 2 and 3, moving key players such as Kim Do-yeong to the second spot and Harold Castro to the third. This strategic change paid off, with Kim contributing two hits and scoring twice, while Castro added an RBI single to the victory.
The Tigers struggled with production from the top of the lineup previously, particularly from the No. 2 spot. Lee remarked on the importance of maintaining the current lineup, emphasizing, "Going with the hot bats up top is the way to go about it." He also noted the need to monitor Kim's health after his active performance.
Castro, who had initially struggled in the series, showed improvement in Game 4. Lee credited the Lions' pitchers for identifying Castro's weaknesses but expressed confidence in Castro's ability to capitalize on pitching mistakes moving forward.
With a place in the Korean Series on the line, Lee stated that all bullpen resources would be utilized for Sunday's game. Meanwhile, Lions manager Park Jin-man reflected on the critical errors made by his team, particularly a mistake by third baseman Kim Young-woong, which led to a three-run rally for the Tigers.
Despite the loss, Park remained optimistic about his team's resilience, noting their ability to overcome challenges and expressing confidence in their readiness for the next game after a day of rest. The series will conclude with Game 5 at Daegu Samsung Lions Park on Sunday at 2 p.m.