Ahn Hyun-min's costly error ... Samsung rides six-run first-inning outburst to a 100% chance of V9

[Financial News] Samsung has cleared the 80% mark on the road to a miraculous comeback title. Putting a disappointing Game 1 loss behind them, the Samsung Lions have raced to three straight wins and are now just one victory away from their long-awaited ninth Korean Series title (V9).
Samsung routed kt wiz 10-5 in Game 4 of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO postseason Korean Series (KS, best-of-seven) at Daegu Samsung Lions Park on the 7th, powered by a six-run big inning in the bottom of the first and Lee Jae-hee's scoreless pitching.
With a 3-1 series lead, Samsung will return to the top of the Korean Series for the first time in 12 years, since 2014, if it wins just one of the remaining Games 5-7. More notably, every team in Korean Series history to lose Game 1 and then win Games 2-4 has gone on to win the title: 100%, or six out of six. It seems the forces of the universe are gathering behind the Lions.


The game swung dramatically from the first inning. After Jang Jin-hyeok gave kt wiz the early lead with a solo home run to right in the top of the first, Samsung launched a fierce response in the bottom half. With two outs and runners on first and second, consecutive hits by Lewin Díaz and Kim Young-woong quickly put Samsung ahead 2-1.
In a pivotal bases-loaded situation with two outs, Samsung added a run when Ryu Ji-hyuk was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, then had Lady Luck on its side in the ensuing opportunity. KT right fielder Ahn Hyun-min misjudged a fly ball hit by Kim Do-hwan and failed to catch it—a costly error that was officially scored a hit. All three baserunners crossed home, extending Samsung's lead to 6-1. It was the decisive moment that effectively tilted the game.




Samsung added another run on Park Seung-kyu's RBI hit in the bottom of the third. After its bullpen faltered in the top of the fifth—Miyamori Satoshi and Bae Chan-seung combined to issue five walks—and conceded three runs, Samsung fell behind 4-7. But reliever Lee Jae-hee got out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam without allowing a run, recording a strikeout and an infield fly to give the team a reprieve. Samsung weathered the threat, then added a two-run double by Park in the bottom of the fifth and an RBI double by Koo Ja-wook in the bottom of the seventh to pull away to 10-4 and seal the win.
The starting pitchers had contrasting outings. Samsung's Jang Chan-hee, a 19-year-old rookie straight out of high school, delivered a surprising performance beyond expectations, allowing two hits and one run over four innings to set the stage for the win. KT starter Logan Allen, by contrast, gave up six runs on five hits and four free passes in just one inning, suffering the indignity of an early exit.



The game saw a remarkable 19 free passes between the two teams—seven for Samsung and 12 for KT—setting a new Korean Series record for the most in a single game. KT's pitching staff, in particular, could not find the strike zone and issued 12 walks, bringing about its own downfall.
Meanwhile, all 23,550 seats at Daegu Samsung Lions Park were filled that day, extending the Korean Series sellout streak to a record 25 consecutive games. The pivotal Game 5, which could decide whether Samsung secures V9, will be played at the same venue at 2 p.m. on the 8th.


[email protected] Jeon Sang-il Reporter