'Ace's 108-Pitch Grit, Díaz and Choi Hyoung-woo's Homers': Samsung Beats Kia to Tie Playoff Series at 1-1

[Financial News]  The bats of the once-silent Lions roared back to life in just one day. Samsung combined a fearsome display of batting with its ace's grit to bring the playoff series back to square one.
The Samsung Lions routed the Kia Tigers 8-3 in Game 2 of the 2026 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League postseason playoffs, a best-of-five series, at Daegu Samsung Lions Park on the 27th. Bouncing back from the shock of their Game 1 loss, Samsung leveled the series at one win apiece and laid a solid foundation for a possible turnaround on the road in Gwangju.
Kia struck first. With one out and runners at first and third in the top of the third, Lee Ho-yeon drove in the opening run with a sacrifice fly to center field. But Ariel Jurado, Samsung's 'undisputed ace,' was holding firm on the mound. In a remarkable display of commitment, Jurado threw 108 pitches over 62⁄3 innings, allowing five hits, issuing two walks and giving up two runs. He was named Daily MVP and kept Kia's powerful lineup in check.
With its pitching holding firm, Samsung's bats, which had been shut down, responded right away. With two outs and a runner on second in the bottom of the third, Park Seung-kyu tied the game with a double down the left-field line, then Koo Ja-wook turned the game around with a clean, go-ahead RBI single to center. The hit earned Koo the 'Hitting Feel of the Day' award, selected by Potato Chip. Riding the momentum, Lewin Díaz immediately launched a two-run homer over the right-center-field wall off opposing starter Adam Oller, stretching Samsung's lead to 4-1.



With a firm grip on the lead, Samsung added a run on a bases-loaded walk after drawing three free passes with two outs in the bottom of the fifth. In the bottom of the sixth, Kim Ji-chan's double and Park Seung-kyu's sacrifice fly brought in two more runs, extending the lead to 7-1.
In the bottom of the seventh, 'living legend' Choi Hyoung-woo put the game out of reach with a solo homer to right. Starting at left field and batting fifth, Choi, aged 42 years, 10 months and 11 days, made a remarkable feat of rewriting the postseason records for oldest appearance, hit, home run and RBI—all in a single day. Won Tae-in came on in relief in the top of the ninth and completed the win by retiring the side in order, with two strikeouts.



Kia, meanwhile, gave up the initiative early as starter Oller faltered, allowing five runs over 42⁄3 innings. The much-relied-upon KIM Do-young and Harold Castro were also held to one hit apiece in four at-bats, bringing their postseason winning streak to an end at six.
After splitting the first two games in Daegu, the teams will take a day off before playing the crucial Game 3 at 6:30 p.m. on the 29th at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field. Meanwhile, all 23,550 seats at Daegu Samsung Lions Park were sold for the game, extending the record of 43 consecutive sold-out postseason games.


[email protected] Jeon Sang-il Reporter