Park Seung-kyu Breaks Tie as Samsung Takes 2-1 KBO Playoff Lead
Park Seung-kyu broke a 4-4 tie as Samsung beat KIA 6-4 in KBO Playoff Game 3, taking a 2-1 series lead.
World Baseball News Editorial Team , 2 min read 
The Samsung Lions moved one win from the Korean Series after Park Seung-kyu broke a 4-4 tie with a seventh-inning double in a 6-4 victory over the KIA Tigers on Thursday, October 29, at Gwangju-KIA Champions Field.
Samsung now leads the best-of-five KBO playoff 2-1. One more victory would send the Lions to the Korean Series against regular-season champion KT Wiz.
Four home runs set up a late Samsung breakthrough
Lewin Díaz gave Samsung an immediate lead with a two-run homer in the first inning, his second home run in as many games. KIA answered in the second on run-scoring hits by Kim Tae-gun and Ha Ju-seok, then moved ahead 3-2 when Kim Do-yeong homered in the third.
Ryu Ji-hyuk turned the game again in the fifth. In his 39th career postseason game, Ryu hit his first playoff home run, a two-run shot that put Samsung back in front 4-3.
KIA captain Na Sung-bum tied it in the sixth with a solo homer off Won Tae-in, creating a 4-4 game and setting up the decisive inning.
Park Seung-kyu delivers with two outs
Lee Jae-hyeon opened Samsung’s seventh-inning chance with a single, and Kim Ji-chan moved him into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. With two outs, Park drove a double into the right-center-field gap to bring home the go-ahead run.
Koo Ja-wook followed with an RBI single, extending the lead to 6-4. It was enough for a Samsung bullpen that had been forced into action early after starter Choi Won-tae worked only 1⅔ innings.
Won Tae-in earned the win despite allowing Sung-bum’s tying homer. Lee Seung-min then recorded 1⅔ scoreless innings before Miyamori Satoshi entered with two outs and two runners aboard in the ninth. Miyamori retired Kim Do-yeong on a ground ball to secure the save.
KIA used nine pitchers, tying the KBO playoff record for most pitchers used by one team in a game. Starter Keisho Shirakawa allowed four runs in 4⅓ innings.
Samsung can clinch in Game 4
The teams return to Gwangju for Game 4 on Friday, October 30. Samsung is seeking its first Korean Series appearance since finishing runner-up in 2024, while KIA must win to force a decisive fifth game.
