LG's Austin Dean hits 40th homer of season, a franchise first
In short
LG Twins hitter Austin Dean hit a two-run home run in the first inning against the KIA Tigers at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul, his 40th of the season and his first in 21 days. It made him the first player in LG franchise history, including the MBC Cheongryong era, to reach 40 homers in a season. He is one behind home run co-leaders Kim Do-young of KIA and Sam Hilliard of kt wiz.
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The LG Twins' foreign batter Austin Dean hit a two-run home run in the first inning of his team's home game against the KIA Tigers at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul, his 40th of the season, according to Yonhap and other reports. With one out and a runner on second, he drove a pitch from KIA starter Shirakawa Keisho over the left-field wall to open the scoring. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
It was Dean's first home run in 21 days, since a Sept. 13 game against the Samsung Lions, and it made him the first player in LG franchise history, including its predecessor MBC Cheongryong, to hit 40 in a single season, Yonhap reported. Dong-A Ilbo said the previous franchise mark was 38 home runs by Roberto Ramos in the 2020 season. Dean trails the home run co-leaders, Kim Do-young of KIA and Sam Hilliard of kt wiz, who each have 41, by one. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Chosun Ilbo's OSEN report said Dean started as the third batter and designated hitter and came to the plate with one out and a runner on first, with Park Hae-min moving to second on the pitcher's pickoff error. Yonhap and Dong-A Ilbo described the situation before the home run only as one out with a runner on second. The documents do not state the final score of the game. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The home run is a franchise first for the LG Twins, one of the KBO's established clubs, and leaves Dean one behind the league's home run co-leaders. The documents give no indication of how it affected the game's outcome or the standings, so its significance is limited to the record and the individual title race.
Key facts
- Austin Dean hit his 40th home run of the season in the first inning of LG Twins' home game against the KIA Tigers at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- The home run was a two-run shot off KIA starter Shirakawa Keisho that opened the scoring. [ 1 , 4 ]
- It was his first home run in 21 days, since a Sept. 13 game against the Samsung Lions. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Dean became the first player in LG franchise history, including predecessor MBC Cheongryong, to hit 40 home runs in a season. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- He trails home run co-leaders Kim Do-young of KIA and Sam Hilliard of kt wiz, who each have 41, by one. [ 1 , 4 ]
- Dong-A Ilbo reported that the previous LG single-season record was 38 home runs by Roberto Ramos in the 2020 season. [ 4 ]
- Chosun Ilbo's report said Park Hae-min moved to second on the pitcher's pickoff error before Dean's at-bat. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Austin Dean hit his 40th home run of the season against KIA at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The home run came in the first inning and was a two-run shot off KIA starter Shirakawa Keisho. [ 1 , 4 ]
- It was his first home run in 21 days, since the Sept. 13 game against the Samsung Lions. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Dean is the first LG franchise player, including the MBC Cheongryong era, to hit 40 home runs in a single season. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- He trails co-leaders Kim Do-young of KIA and Sam Hilliard of kt wiz, each with 41 home runs, by one. [ 1 , 4 ]
- Yonhap reported the runner was on second with one out when Dean batted. [ 1 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- How the runner reached second before the home run. Chosun Ilbo's OSEN report says Park Hae-min advanced on the pitcher's pickoff error, while Yonhap and Dong-A Ilbo describe only one out with a runner on second.
- The pitch Dean hit for the home run. Only Dong-A Ilbo reports it was the fourth pitch, a low forkball; no other document describes the pitch sequence.
- The previous LG single-season home run record. Only Dong-A Ilbo gives the figure of 38 home runs by Roberto Ramos in the 2020 season.
- The final score and result of the LG-KIA game. None of the documents states the outcome of the game.
- Why Newsis's article body concerns financial-sector hacking rather than the game. The body text carried under Newsis's Austin Dean headline is about a different subject; the documents do not explain the mismatch.
- Dean started the game as the third batter and designated hitter. Reported by a single source so far
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Yonhap reports Dean's 40th home run of the season against KIA at Jamsil. [ 1 ]
- Chosun Ilbo's OSEN report adds that Dean started as the third batter and designated hitter and that Park Hae-min reached second on a pickoff error. [ 2 ]
- Newsis publishes a report with the same headline about Dean's home run. [ 3 ]
- Dong-A Ilbo adds the pitch sequence and the previous LG record of 38 home runs by Roberto Ramos in 2020. [ 4 ]