Choi Hyoung-woo’s big night lifts Samsung Lions over Kia Tigers, evening KBO playoff series

DAEGU — Samsung Lions veteran Choi Hyoung-woo didn’t expect to play much against his former team, but the 42-year-old proved himself wrong on Tuesday, leading Samsung to an 8-3 win over the Kia Tigers that evened the second round of the playoffs at one game apiece.

“I’m grateful for the honorable title of the ‘Choi Hyoung-woo Series,’ but I don’t think I’ll be used much in this series,” Choi had said before the best-of-five series began.

Samsung lost Game 1 5-1 a day earlier, managing just one run on two hits as its No. 2 through No. 5 hitters went a combined 0-for-13. For Game 2 at Samsung Lions Park in Daegu, manager Park Jin-man started Choi in left field and batting fifth, despite questions about his defense. It was Choi’s first postseason appearance in the outfield in eight years, since the wildcard game against the Kiwoom Heroes on Oct. 16, 2018.

Park Seung-kyu, who batted fifth in Game 1, moved up to the No. 2 spot.

“We put the experienced Choi Hyoung-woo in the starting lineup because we judged he was the right person to change the momentum,” Park Jin-man said before the game, explaining the lineup changes. “Our rallies kept stalling at the No. 2 spot, and we judged Park Seung-kyu is swinging the bat better than Kim Seong-yoon.”

The Tigers scored first in the top of the third. Ha Ju-suk singled, Kim Ho-ryung laid down a sacrifice bunt, Park Jae-hyun hit an infield single and Lee Ho-yeon brought in the run with a sacrifice fly. Samsung answered in the bottom of the inning. Ryu Ji-hyuk walked and Lee Jae-hyeon bunted him over, putting a runner on second with two outs, and Park Seung-kyu tied the game with a double down the left-field line. Koo Ja-wook followed with an RBI single to right-center for a 2-1 lead. Cleanup hitter Lewin Diaz then drove a fastball from Kia starter Adam Oller over the right-center field wall for a two-run homer.

In the fifth, Park Seung-kyu’s two-out infield single toward shortstop knocked Oller out of the game. Oller gave up five runs on five hits over 4 2/3 innings and struggled against Samsung in Daegu again, after allowing eight runs in one inning there on July 28. Samsung took advantage of reliever Lee Eui-lee’s control problems to add a run, as Koo, Diaz and Choi reached base on three straight walks or hit batters.

Choi’s defense ended a Kia threat in the top of the sixth. With two outs, Harold Castro hit a ball off the left-field wall that looked like a sure double. Choi played it cleanly off the fence and threw accurately to second to get Castro out.

Samsung added two runs in the bottom of the sixth on singles by Ryu and Lee Jae-hyeon, a double by Kim Ji-chan and a sacrifice fly from Park Seung-kyu. Choi sealed the win with a celebratory solo homer in the seventh.

This was Choi’s first postseason appearance in two years, since he played for Kia against Samsung in the 2024 Korean Series. He did his job, going 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBIs and a walk. He also broke a string of age records. At 42 years, 10 months and 11 days, he became the oldest player to appear in a postseason game and the oldest to record a postseason hit, RBI, home run, run scored and outfield assist.

Game MVP honors went to Ariel Jurado, who earned the win after allowing two runs on five hits, two walks or hit batters and two strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings. Key reliever Lee Seung-min pitched 1 1/3 innings and allowed one run, and Won Tae-in retired the side in order in the ninth.

Game 3 is set for 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju. Kia’s Keisho Shirakawa and Samsung’s Choi Won-tae are expected to start.

BY KIM HYO-KYUNG [[email protected]]