In the third game of the 2026 KBO League postseason, Kia Tigers manager Lee Bum-ho told reporters, He should hold on within five innings and allow three runs. If he shows severe shaking early, we will send four to five pitchers to the bullpen quickly.
That pitching management strategy was put to the test on September 29 at Gwangju-KIA Champions Field, where the Kia Tigers turned to 白川 as their starting pitcher against the Samsung Lions. Entering the day, the series was tied at one game apiece.
Early Home Run Blows Open the Third Playoff Game
The opening frame immediately tested the Tigers’ pitching plan. Samsung cleanup hitter Lewin Diaz followed with a 115-meter home run to deep right field, putting the Lions ahead 2–0 before 白川 induced a popup from Choi Hyung-woo to end the inning.
⚾ KIA Tigers @ Samsung Lions · KBOKIA enters this contest averaging 5.80 runs over their last five games while Samsung struggles to produce 2.80 runs.What to watch:• KIA is currently in a much stronger offensive rhythm, averaging 5.80 runs over their last five games…
白川 settled down through the second and third innings, escaping a threat in the second when left fielder Park Jae-hyun threw out Ryu Ji-hyuk at second base after a video review showed Ryu’s body briefly leaving the bag during a slide. Quick frames in the third and fourth kept Kia within striking distance, but trouble returned in the fifth.
Samsung Pushes Across Decisive Runs in the Fifth Inning
Kang Min-ho opened the fifth with a single against 白川. After Jeon Byung-woo struck out, Ryu Ji-hyuk connected for a 120-meter two-run home run, extending Samsung’s lead. Following a walk to Lee Jae-hyun, the Kia bench lifted 白川 in favor of right-handed reliever Jung Hai-young.
Relievers Jung Hai-young and left-hander Kwak Do-gyu prevented further damage in the frame, but 白川’s final line stood at four and one-third innings, allowing four runs on four hits—including two home runs—with one walk and four strikeouts over 78 pitches. The Kia offense trailed 4–3 heading into the bottom of the fifth.
Postseason Standings and Series Context
The Tigers advanced to the postseason as the third seed in the regular season with a 79-win, 63-loss, 2-tie record, defeating the fourth-seeded LG Twins in the semi-playoffs. After splitting the first two games of the current series—winning the opener 5–1 before dropping an 8–3 decision in Game 2—Kia faced historical odds where teams splitting the first two games of a five-game playoff hold a 56.3% success rate of advancing to the Korean Series.
