Sam Hilliard Hits 37th Homer as KT Wiz Rout Doosan 15-3 to Extend KBO Lead

Sam Hilliard hit his 37th home run of the season and collected four hits as the KT Wiz overwhelmed the Doosan Bears 15-3 on Saturday, September 19, strengthening their hold on first place in the KBO League.

KT finished with 16 hits at Suwon KT Wiz Park and turned a close game into a rout with consecutive five-run innings in the sixth and seventh. The victory moved the Wiz 2.5 games clear of the second-place Samsung Lions, who lost to Lotte on the same day.

KT turns 3-1 deficit into a blowout

Doosan scored first and led 3-1 after three innings, but KT erased the deficit when Choi Won-jun hit a two-run home run in the fifth.

The game changed decisively one inning later. KT capitalized on a Doosan error and strung together five hits in a five-run sixth to take an 8-3 lead. The Wiz then sent another five runs across in the seventh, turning what had been a tight game into a double-digit margin.

Hilliard added the final exclamation point in the eighth with a solo homer. The former MLB outfielder finished 4-for-5 and moved to 37 home runs, three behind KIA Tigers slugger Kim Do-young and two behind LG Twins hitter Austin Dean in the KBO home-run race.

Wiz answer after brief stumble

The win was an important response for KT after their seven-game winning streak ended with a draw against Hanwha and a 12-1 loss to LG. Rather than allowing that setback to become a slide, the league leaders immediately produced one of their biggest offensive performances of September.

KT’s position has also strengthened because Samsung fell 5-3 to the Lotte Giants on Saturday. With the regular season entering its final stretch, the Wiz now hold a 2.5-game cushion at the top of the standings.

For Hilliard, the late home run continued a power surge that has made him one of the KBO’s most productive hitters in 2026. He hit his 35th and 36th homers in the same game against Hanwha on September 15 before adding No. 37 four days later.

KT stays in control of the KBO race

The Wiz remain at home for another game against Doosan on Sunday, September 20. With Samsung chasing and the schedule running into early October, every result now carries direct implications for the race for the KBO’s top regular-season position.