Manager Park Jin-man guided the Samsung Lions to a 5-1 victory over the KT Wiz in Game 3 of the 2026 KBO Korean Series at Daegu Samsung Lions Park on the 6th, taking a two-games-to-one lead in the best-of-seven championship series.
Ariel Jurado Delivers Seven Strong Innings
Starting pitcher Ariel Jurado threw 108 pitches across seven innings, allowing just six hits and one run while striking out six batters to earn the win. Jurado earned the daily MVP honor following his performance, building on his two victories and series MVP award in the previous playoff round against the Kia Tigers. Jurado briefly took a hand impact from a batted ball in the sixth inning but stayed in the contest after assuring the dugout he could continue.
Gu Ja-Wook Drives Early Runs to Secure Victory
Samsung built its lead early when Gu Ja-wook hit a two-run triple to right field with two outs and runners on first and third in the bottom of the second inning. Choe Hyeong-u added an RBI single, and Park Seung-kyu hit a solo home run. The 5-1 win pushed Samsung one step closer to a Korean Series championship 12 years after 2014, with historical data showing that teams winning Game 3 after splitting the first two games of a Korean Series claim the title 88.9% of the time.
Manager Park Jin-man Applauds Bullpen Relief
Manager Park credited Jurado’s deep outing with stabilizing the relief corps. Because Jurado pitched through the seventh inning, Samsung preserved bullpen arms for the remainder of the series. Park noted that while early pitch counts suggested an earlier exit in the sixth, the pitcher’s durability changed the team’s tactical plan for the middle frames.
Upcoming Pitching Matchup for Game 4
Samsung will send rookie right-hander Chang Chan-hee to the mound as the starting pitcher for Game 4 on the 7th at Daegu Samsung Lions Park. Chang posted a 4-5 record with a 4.50 ERA during the regular season. The KT Wiz countered by naming left-hander Logan Allen, who finished the regular season with a 7-5 record and a 3.59 ERA, to start Game 4.
