Samsung, leading 2-0, allowed SSG to tie the game with an equalizing hit in the top of the 8th inning, falling into a 2-2 deadlock. With a crucial run needed in the bottom of the 8th, two batters made consecutive outs, but the regular-season 50-home-run slugger delivered the decisive blow.
Samsung’s foreign hitter Lewin Díaz (29) hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the bottom of the 8th inning during the 4th game of the KBO semifinal playoffs against SSG in Daegu on the 14th, leading his team to victory. Samsung defeated SSG 5-2, advancing to the playoffs (PO, best-of-five series) with a 3-1 series record. They will face Hanwha in the PO in Daejeon on the 17th. This marks the first postseason meeting between Hanwha and Samsung since the 2007 semifinal playoffs, 18 years ago.
Samsung ended the series with two home runs in a pitchers’ duel. Starting pitcher Ariel Jurado pitched seven scoreless innings, and Díaz and Lee Jae-hyun (22) broke the tie with consecutive home runs in the bottom of the 8th.
In the bottom of the 8th, with Koo Ja-wook on base via a walk and two outs, Díaz capitalized on SSG pitcher Lee Woohoon’s errant changeup, pulling it powerfully for a home run. This was Díaz’s first postseason home run and the decisive hit that propelled Samsung to the playoffs. Manager Park Jin-man said after the game, “Díaz created a positive atmosphere by hitting a home run when needed. I hope he continues to perform well in the playoffs.” Díaz remarked, “This postseason is the best moment of my career.”
Díaz, who set the all-time single-season home run record for a foreign hitter with 50 homers and a new single-season RBI record with 158, was Samsung’s key player. In this series, he went 6-for-16 with one home run and six RBIs against SSG, earning the semifinal playoffs MVP.
Following Díaz, Lee Jae-hyun, who hit a leadoff home run on the first pitch in Game 1, crushed Lee Woohoon’s first pitch for a solo homer, extending the lead to 5-2. This marked the ninth instance of consecutive home runs in the semifinal playoffs.
Samsung’s starting pitcher Jurado (29) pitched seven innings, allowing two hits, nine strikeouts, two walks, and no runs. He erased the nightmare from three days prior. In Game 2 of the semifinal playoffs in Incheon on the 11th, he had allowed a walk-off home run to SSG’s Kim Sung-wook in the bottom of the 9th. This time, he retired Kim Sung-wook—a shortstop groundout in the 7th inning—and received cheers from the crowd. Against Kim Sung-wook, he recorded one hit, one strikeout in three at-bats.
In the top of the 1st, he caught Park Sung-han on a groundout to first base, then struck out Eredia and Choi Jeong. Three up, three down. In the 2nd, he retired Han Yu-seom on a flyout to left field, followed by Choi Ji-hoon on a flyout to center. Though he walked a batter, he struck out Kim Sung-wook with two outs and a runner on first. He avenged the batter who had hit the walk-off homer in Game 2. In the 3rd, he struck out Jeong Joon-jae looking and Jo Hyung-woo swinging. Park Sung-han flew out to left field. Another three-up, three-down inning.
In the 7th, Han Yu-seom grounded out to first, and Go Myung-joon grounded out to shortstop. After an error loaded a runner, he retired Kim Sung-wook on a groundout to shortstop, closing the inning.
Supported by Jurado’s strong pitching, Samsung’s offense scored two runs. In the bottom of the 3rd, Kang Min-ho and Jeon Byung-woo walked with one out, putting runners on first and second. Kim Ji-chan followed with a timely double to right-center, driving in the first run. Though they failed to score more with the bases loaded and two outs, the inning set the momentum. In the bottom of the 6th, Kim Sung-yun walked and Koo Ja-wook singled to right-center, putting runners on first and second with no outs. Díaz’s groundout to left scored a run, making it 2-0. Kim Sung-yun’s slide into home was upheld after a video review.
However, the turning point came in the 8th. After Jurado exited, Kim Tae-hoon walked Jeong Joon-jae, and Samsung immediately replaced him with right-hander Lee Seung-hyun. SSG inserted Oh Tae-gon as a pinch hitter, who delivered a single to center field, loading the bases with no outs. Park Sung-han’s fly ball to left-center was caught by the center fielder, but an error on the throw allowed runners to advance, tying the score at 2-2.
With runners on first and third and no outs, Samsung pulled Lee Seung-hyun for rookie Bae Chan-seung. Despite the threat, Bae struck out Eredia. He then hit Choi Jeong with a pitch, leaving runners on first and third with one out. Han Yu-seom also struck out swinging. Finally, Samsung brought in Lee Ho-sung, who retired Go Myung-joon on a flyout to left field, escaping the inning without additional runs.
Samsung’s offense responded immediately after the tie. SSG brought in closer Lee Woohoon, who retired Kim Ji-chan on a flyout to left and Kim Sung-yun on a groundout to first, appearing to control the game.
However, Koo Ja-wook walked, putting a runner on first with two outs. Díaz then pulled Lee Woohoon’s fastball for a two-run homer to right field, making it 4-2. The next batter, Lee Jae-hyun, also crushed the first pitch for a solo homer to left field. The back-to-back home runs sealed the 5-2 victory.
Samsung’s closer Kim Jae-yoon (35) retired the SSG lineup in order in the top of the 9th, securing the win. Kim earned his third save in the series, setting a new semifinal playoffs record with four career saves, surpassing the previous mark of three by Hanwha’s Koo Dae-sung.
SSG, the regular-season third-place team, became the victim of an “upset,” failing to defeat a higher-seeded team in the series. SSG starter Kim Kwang-hyun (37) pitched well, allowing one run (one earned) on one hit with five strikeouts over five innings. He also reached 103 career postseason strikeouts, tying Sun Dong-yeol (Haitai) for the all-time record. SSG’s comeback to tie the score was commendable, but they failed to prevent Samsung from scoring two runs in the bottom of the 8th.
