By Yoo Jee-ho
INCHEON, Oct. 11 (Yonhap) — The SSG Landers walked off the Samsung Lions 4-3 at home on Saturday to even up their Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) postseason series at one game apiece.
Kim Seong-uk smacked the game-winning solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning off Ariel Jurado in Game 2 of the first-round series before a sellout crowd of 22,500. The blast came minutes after the Landers had blown a 3-2 lead in the top half of that inning.
Kim Seong-uk of the SSG Landers celebrates after hitting a walk-off home run against the Samsung Lions during Game 2 of the first-round series in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason at Incheon SSG Landers Field in Incheon, 30 kilometers west of Seoul, on Oct. 11, 2025. (Yonhap)
The best-of-five series will shift to Daegu Samsung Lions Park in Daegu, 235 kilometers southeast of Seoul, for Game 3 at 6:30 p.m. Monday.
For the Landers, starter Kim Keon-woo struck out seven batters in 3 1/3 innings in his postseason debut, including a league-record six straight to start the game, while Ko Myeong-jun homered for the second straight game.
With Kim enjoying a dream start, his teammates backed him up with some early runs. In the bottom second, Ko smacked a solo home run off starter Gerson Garabito, jumping on a first-pitch slider for his second home run in two games.
Guillermo Heredia of the SSG Landers hits an RBI single against the Samsung Lions during Game 2 of the first-round series in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason at Incheon SSG Landers Field in Incheon, 30 kilometers west of Seoul, on Oct. 11, 2025. (Yonhap)
Then in the bottom third, Choi Jeong scored Cho Hyeong-woo with a broken-bat single for a 2-0 lead, after Cho had reached on a throwing error by shortstop Lee Jae-hyeon.
Kim Keon-woo picked up one more strikeout in the third inning, but after Kim completed his first time through the order, the Lions’ bats came to life in the fourth inning.
Lee Jae-hyeon led things off with a single, the Lions’ first hit of the game, and Koo Ja-wook followed two batters later with a double that snapped a 0-for-12 funk this postseason.
Cleanup Lewin Diaz then cashed in both runners with a single to center that knotted the score at 2-2. That hit also chased Kim from the game.
SSG Landers starter Kim Keon-woo pitches against the Samsung Lions during Game 2 of the first-round series in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason at Incheon SSG Landers Field in Incheon, about 30 kilometers west of Seoul, on Oct. 11, 2025. (Yonhap)
Reliever Lee Ro-un issued a two-out walk to Kim Hun-gon before falling behind 3-1 against Kang Min-ho with Diaz representing the go-ahead run at second.
Kang slapped a ground ball toward the hole on the left, but shortstop Park Seong-han made a sensational diving catch and forced Diaz at third to end the rally and keep the game tied.
After Lee hit a batter and walked another to put two aboard in the top fifth, Noh Kyung-eun came on to retire Koo on a harmless groundout to second.
It set the stage for the Landers to grab a 3-2 lead in the bottom fifth via Guillermo Heredia’s two-out single that scored Jeong Jun-jae, who’d opened the rally with a bunt single.
Noh, the oldest pitcher in this series at age 41, worked scoreless sixth and seventh innings, before Kim Min threw a perfect eighth inning.
SSG Landers reliever Noh Kyung-eun celebrates after completing the top of the seventh inning of Game 2 of the first-round series in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason against the Samsung Lions at Incheon SSG Landers Field in Incheon, 30 kilometers west of Seoul, on Oct. 11, 2025. (Yonhap)
The Landers appeared poised for a win as lights-out closer Jo Byeong-hyeon took the mound in the ninth.
But the 23-year-old right-hander, who only blew two saves in the regular season, walked pinch hitter Kim Ji-chan to begin the inning. After a sacrifice bunt, Kang Min-ho came through with a half-swing single to right field that scored Kim to tie the game at 3-3.
It was Kang’s first hit of this postseason after a 0-for-13 skid.
The Lions summoned Jurado out of the bullpen to begin the bottom ninth for his first relief outing in the KBO. Jurado got the first out, but then Kim Seong-uk smoked a middle-middle fastball for a line drive shot that cleared the left field wall to punctuate the dramatic win.
It was the 12th walk-off home run in postseason history.
Ko Myeong-jun of the SSG Landers tosses his bat after hitting a solo home run against the Samsung Lions during Game 2 of the first-round series in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason at Incheon SSG Landers Field in Incheon, about 30 kilometers west of Seoul, on Oct. 11, 2025. (Yonhap)
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