Kim Do-young hits two homers as KIA beats LG 5-1

Kim Do-young powers KIA past LG with two homers in semifinal opener

The KIA star drove in four runs and James Naile worked seven strong innings in a 5-1 victory over the Twins

Kim Do-young hit two home runs and drove in four runs as the KIA Tigers defeated the LG Twins 5-1 in Game 1 of their best-of-five KBO League semifinal playoff series at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field on Saturday. KIA overturned an early deficit with three home runs and moved within two victories of advancing to the playoff round.

Result: KIA Tigers 5, LG Twins 1
Series: KBO semifinal playoffs, Game 1
Venue: Gwangju-Kia Champions Field
Top performer: Kim Do-young, two home runs and four RBIs

LG scored first when Song Chan-eui delivered a solo home run in the second inning. KIA answered in the bottom half as Castro drove a cutter from Anders Tolhurst over the right-field wall, tying the game at 1-1 and quickly erasing LG's advantage.

Kim changed the direction of the game in the fourth. Facing Tolhurst with one out and nobody on base, he drove a 149 kph fastball over the left-field fence for a go-ahead solo shot. KIA extended its lead to 3-1 in the sixth when Kim lifted a sacrifice fly after consecutive LG errors had put runners at the corners with nobody out.

Naile protects KIA's narrow lead

KIA starter James Naile protected the lead through several difficult innings. He escaped a two-on threat in the third by retiring Austin Dean on a shortstop popup, then worked around a leadoff double and an intentional walk in the sixth by striking out Moon Jung-bin and inducing a double play from Moon Bo-gyeong. Naile completed seven innings with one run allowed on four hits and two walks while striking out six.

Kim supplied the final separation in the eighth. After Kim Sun-bin singled with two outs, Kim Do-young hit a two-run homer to center off Jang Hyun-sik, stretching KIA's lead to four runs. The third baseman finished with two homers and four RBIs, accounting for every KIA run after Castro's tying blast.

LG produced opportunities but could not add to Song's home run. Tolhurst allowed three runs, two earned, and two homers over five innings, while defensive mistakes helped KIA create its sixth-inning insurance run. Jeon Sang-hyun recorded the final four outs for KIA after the bullpen navigated an eighth-inning threat. Game 2 will show whether LG can limit Kim's impact and convert more of its baserunners, while KIA will monitor Jeon's workload after using him across the final two innings.