KIA rally past LG 6-5 with three-run ninth, retake third; LG lose seventh in row
In short
KIA Tigers beat LG Twins 6-5 at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on October 4, scoring three runs in the ninth inning to complete the comeback. The win lifted KIA ahead of LG into third place in the KBO league and handed LG a seventh consecutive defeat. Yonhap said KIA had retaken third place 35 days after losing it and is now aiming for a direct berth in the semifinal playoffs.
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KIA Tigers beat LG Twins 6-5 at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on October 4 in the 2026 Shinhan Bank SOL Bank KBO League, coming from behind with three runs in the ninth inning, according to Chosun Ilbo, Yonhap and OSEN reports carried by Chosun Ilbo. The win was KIA's second in two days against LG. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 10 ]
Chosun Ilbo's score sequence showed the game moving from 3-3 to 3-5 and then to 6-5, with KIA scoring three runs in the top of the ninth. Yonhap headlined the result as “three runs in the ninth” and said KIA had reclaimed third place 35 days after losing it. Chosun Ilbo credited manager Lee Bum-ho's substitutions, saying the pinch-hitting and pinch-running cards he played at each decisive point all worked. [ 1 , 4 , 9 , 10 ]
For LG the loss was a seventh in a row. Chosun Ilbo reported that LG had been on a six-game losing streak while KIA closed to within one game, and that LG had lost the previous day despite an all-out effort. The same report said Casey Kelly, described as a symbol of the start of LG's peak era, returned to Jamsil for the first time in two years, and that the game drew the largest-ever full house and a season attendance record; its headline said Son Joo-young “collapsed again”. [ 8 ]
OSEN's report, carried by Chosun Ilbo, gave KIA a record of 74 wins, two draws and 61 losses for a .548 winning percentage, against LG's 75 wins, one draw and 62 losses and .547. Chosun Ilbo described KIA as third with no game difference. [ 1 , 9 , 10 , 11 ]
Yonhap said the back-to-back wins put KIA in position to aim for a direct berth in the semifinal playoffs (준플레이오프 직행). Seoul Shinmun reported the same, saying KIA had pulled LG down and retaken third place to defend its direct semifinal playoff place. OSEN's report quoted praise that Kim Tae-gun and Lee Ho-yeon had met expectations. [ 4 , 6 , 10 , 12 ]
Why it matters
The game shapes the top of the KBO standings late in the season: Yonhap and Seoul Shinmun both framed the win as putting KIA in position to chase a direct place in the semifinal playoffs. LG's seventh straight defeat deepens a late-season slide for the Seoul club. Outside Korea the result is a domestic league game with limited wider impact.
Key facts
- KIA Tigers beat LG Twins 6-5 at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on October 4 in the 2026 Shinhan Bank SOL Bank KBO League. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 10 ]
- KIA scored three runs in the ninth inning to complete the comeback. [ 1 , 4 , 9 , 10 ]
- Chosun Ilbo's score sequence showed the game move from 3-3 to 3-5 and then to 6-5. [ 1 ]
- The result was KIA's second straight win over LG and LG's seventh consecutive loss. [ 1 , 4 , 6 , 9 ]
- KIA moved ahead of LG into third place; Yonhap said KIA retook third 35 days after losing it. [ 1 , 4 , 5 , 9 , 12 ]
- KIA's record is 74 wins, two draws and 61 losses (.548); LG's is 75 wins, one draw and 62 losses (.547). [ 10 , 11 ]
- Yonhap and Seoul Shinmun reported KIA is now aiming for a direct berth in the semifinal playoffs. [ 4 , 12 ]
- Chosun Ilbo said KIA manager Lee Bum-ho's pinch-hit and pinch-run substitutions worked at each decisive point. [ 9 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- How far apart KIA and LG stand in the standings. One report describes KIA as third with no game difference while OSEN, carried by Chosun Ilbo, gives win percentages separated by .001 (.548 against .547); the documents do not reconcile the two descriptions.
- The full score progression and box-score detail of the game. Yonhap's file was only a score line (KIA 6-5 LG), and the reports otherwise give the ninth-inning rally without a complete inning-by-inning account.
- Who started on the mound for KIA. The summaries that name the KIA starting pitcher cut off mid-name (“Shirakawa Ke…”), so his identity is not fully reported.
- It was KIA's second consecutive win over LG. Reported by a single source so far
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Chosun Ilbo publishes its first report: KIA beat LG 6-5 with a comeback and took third place with a two-game winning run. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Yonhap publishes the Jamsil box score: KIA 6-5 LG. [ 3 ]
- Yonhap reports KIA retook third place 35 days after losing it, with LG falling to a seventh straight loss. [ 4 ]
- Newsis reports the comeback win, LG's seventh straight defeat and KIA's return to third. [ 5 ]
- Chosun Ilbo reports LG had been on a six-game losing streak and that Casey Kelly returned to Jamsil after two years amid a record crowd. [ 8 ]
- Chosun Ilbo credits KIA manager Lee Bum-ho's pinch-hit and pinch-run substitutions for the second one-run win in two days. [ 9 ]
- OSEN, carried by Chosun Ilbo, reports the records: KIA 74-2-61 (.548), LG 75-1-62 (.547). [ 10 , 11 ]
- Seoul Shinmun reports KIA pulled LG down to retake third place and is defending its bid for a direct semifinal playoff place. [ 12 ]