KT Clinch First Place for First Time in 5 Years
The KT Wiz routed the Lotte Giants 9-0 at Suwon KT Wiz Park on the 5th to clinch first place in the 2026 regular season. Choi Won-jun opened the first inning with a double, and RBI doubles from Sam Hilliard and Kim Sang-su plus a three-run homer by Jang Jun-won decided the game early. Jang finished with two home runs and four RBIs, while starter Logan Allen struck out 14 over eight scoreless innings, allowing seven hits, to earn his seventh win. With second-place Samsung losing to Doosan at the same time, KT (86-49-5) locked up the top spot regardless of their remaining games, earning a direct ticket to the Korean Series for the first time since 2021. KT also topped one million fans in a single season for the first time in club history.
Source: Money Today
Kim Do-yeong Go-Ahead Homer in 9th, LG Drop 8th Straight
The KIA Tigers beat the LG Twins 6-4 at Jamsil on the 5th to sweep their three-game road series. LG jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning on RBI hits from Moon Jeong-bin and Moon Bo-gyeong and a two-run single by Lee Ju-heon. KIA cut the gap to one with Kim Ho-ryeong’s two-run hit in the fourth and a throwing error in the sixth. The game turned in the top of the ninth: pinch hitter Park Jeong-woo and Park Jae-hyeon singled back to back with one out, and with runners on first and second and two outs, Kim Do-yeong drove a 155 km/h fastball from Go Woo-suk for a go-ahead three-run homer, his 42nd of the season. KIA (75-61-2) held third place, now one game ahead of fourth-place LG, who have lost eight in a row.
Source: My Daily
Doosan Beat Samsung, Keep 4th-Place Hopes Alive
The Doosan Bears beat the Samsung Lions 7-5 at Samsung Lions Park in Daegu on the 5th. Park Chan-ho led the offense with his third straight three-hit game, and Ahn Jae-seok’s solo homer in the third extended his hitting streak to 11 games and gave him 11 home runs on the season. Doosan steadily added runs with aggressive baserunning and sharp defense. Samsung pulled within one in the seventh on Kim Seong-yun’s first career grand slam, but Kang Seung-ho’s double in the eighth restored the cushion and Lee Young-ha closed it out with a scoreless ninth. Starter Zach Logue picked up the win, while Samsung ace Ariel Jurado allowed six runs over 6 1/3 innings. The loss locked Samsung into second place, and Doosan moved within two games of fourth.
Source: Sports Kyunghyang
Avila Throws 7 Scoreless, SSG Tighten Grip on 6th
The SSG Landers blanked the NC Dinos 9-0 at Changwon NC Park on the 5th. The tight game broke open in the top of the fifth, when Cho Hyeong-woo, Choi Ji-hoon, Ahn Sang-hyeon, Kim Jeong-min and Park Seong-han strung together five straight hits with one out to score three runs, followed by a two-run triple from Guillermo Heredia. SSG added three more in the sixth on a bases-loaded walk, a wild pitch and another walk to put the game away. Starter Pedro Avila allowed three hits over seven scoreless innings to improve to 9-2 and lowered his ERA to 1.44. Heredia went 2-for-3 with three RBIs. After taking the last two games of the series, SSG stayed in sixth place, now 1.5 games ahead of NC, who are 1-6 over their last seven games.
Source: Ilgan Sports
Hanwha Snap 5-Game Skid With 7-Run 8th
The Hanwha Eagles beat the Kiwoom Heroes 13-6 at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark on the 5th to end a five-game losing streak. After Kiwoom took the lead on a solo homer by Davidson in the top of the first, Hanwha capitalized on defensive errors to score five in the bottom half, highlighted by an RBI hit from Kang Baek-ho and a two-run double by Yu Min. Kiwoom went ahead 6-5 with a two-run homer by Hiura in the fourth and three runs in the fifth, but Hanwha tied it right back in the bottom of the fifth. The game was decided in the eighth: Park Jeong-hyeon’s double put Hanwha back in front, and RBI hits from Lee Do-yun, Kang Baek-ho and Noh Si-hwan helped produce seven runs in the inning. Rookie left-hander Kang Geon-woo, making his first start in five months, allowed three runs over four innings and said, “The fans were so loud it gave me strength. I think I now have a goal for next year.”
Source: OSEN
Woo Kyu-min, 41, Tears Up Over First Korean Series
KT Wiz veteran pitcher Woo Kyu-min, 41, is headed to the Korean Series for the first time in his career. Since joining LG in 2003, he has pitched in more than 900 games but had never reached the Korean Series. After KT clinched first place on the 5th, Woo said, “I think the tears came the moment the third out was made in the Daegu game.” Looking back, he said that as 20 years went by, “I just thought it was a dream that could never come true,” adding, “I’m so grateful because it feels like my younger teammates gave me first place in the pennant race as a gift.” KT, who finished their own game first, watched the Daegu game on the Suwon ballpark scoreboard before holding their clinching celebration.
Source: Sports Kyunghyang
Reyes Chases Hits Title From Leadoff Spot
Lotte Giants outfielder Victor Reyes started in left field and batted leadoff against KT in Suwon on the 5th. As of the 4th, Reyes was tied with KT’s Choi Won-jun for the league lead with 197 hits, as he chases a third straight hits title in his third KBO season. A second career 200-hit season is also within reach. The lineup change came largely because Hwang Seong-bin, who felt pain in his left shoulder while sliding the day before, was rested as a precaution. Manager Kim Tae-hyung said, “Whether he bats third or first, he has to keep going for the hits title. If I can use him at leadoff going forward, I may keep him there.” Reyes singled to right in the third inning.
Source: Sports Kyunghyang