KIA Tigers lose to Lotte Giants, delaying third-place decision

The KIA Tigers failed to secure third place in the KBO League after a 1-4 loss to the Lotte Giants on October 11 at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field. The decisive moment occurred in the sixth inning when Lotte’s Han Dong-hee hit a grand slam against KIA pitcher Adam Oller, following a defensive error by Kim Sun-bin.

Lotte’s Kim Jin-wook earned the win, pitching six scoreless innings and reaching the regulatory inning requirement for the first time in his career. This victory also contributed to a historic milestone for the Lotte Giants, as they became the first team in the KBO 10-club era to have five starting pitchers complete the regulatory inning requirement during a single season.

As a result of the loss, the battle for third place moves to a final showdown on October 12 between the KIA Tigers and the LG Twins. The winner will secure third place and direct entry into the semi-playoffs, while the loser will enter the postseason via the wild card decision games.