Kim Do Young Powers KIA Past LG in Playoff Series

KIA Tigers have taken control of their postseason series against the LG Twins, powered by Kim Do Young's home-run production and a strong pitching performance from James Naile. After winning the opening game 5-1 in Gwangju on October 17, KIA followed with a 6-3 victory on October 18, leaving LG facing elimination in the best-of-five series.

According to reports from World Baseball Network and SBS, Kim delivered the decisive offensive performance in Game 1, recording two home runs and four RBIs. His production helped KIA secure the opening victory and extended the Tigers' winning streak against LG to eight consecutive games, including regular-season matchups.

LG must now win its remaining games to keep its postseason campaign alive. The Twins' pitching staff faces a difficult challenge against a KIA lineup that has received substantial contributions from both Kim and Harold Castro.

Kim broke the 1-1 tie in the fourth inning of Game 1 with a solo home run to left field off LG starter Tolhurst. He added a sacrifice fly in the sixth before hitting a two-run homer in the eighth, completing the first multi-home-run game of his postseason career.

Kim's performance also followed a significant regular-season achievement. He hit his 45th home run on October 12 to secure his first career home-run title, helping KIA finish third in the standings.

Naile supported the offensive display by pitching seven innings, allowing four hits and one run while striking out six batters. He worked through a sixth-inning threat by recording a strikeout and inducing an inning-ending double play, then helped KIA maintain its advantage through the seventh.

After the opening victory, Kim described the importance of getting an early advantage in the series.

"I came into this thinking the first game was crucial, and I am glad we secured a great victory. It also seems like I am starting with a good hitting rhythm, which makes me feel even better," Kim Do Young, a KIA infielder, said.

Game 2 demonstrated that LG could limit Kim without containing the rest of the KIA lineup. According to Star News Korea, the Twins issued two walks to Kim but held him hitless in his two at-bats by avoiding pitches in favorable hitting locations.

That approach did not prevent KIA from scoring. After Kim walked in the first inning, Castro and the following hitters produced five consecutive singles, helping the Tigers score five runs in the frame. Castro had four hits in seven at-bats through the first two games, batting .571 with two RBIs and a home run.

LG's difficulties extended beyond its handling of Kim. In Game 1, the Twins allowed him to hit a go-ahead home run on a first-pitch fastball in the fourth inning and a two-run homer in the eighth, when the score stood at 3-1. Those swings turned a close contest into a four-run defeat.

For Game 3, scheduled for October 20 at Jamsil, LG announced that KARAasco would start. Star News Korea reported that he had held Kim hitless in three at-bats during the regular season, striking him out twice. KIA's continued offensive production and LG's need for victories remain central factors in the series.

The opening game also drew 18,900 spectators to Champions Field, according to SBS, extending the consecutive postseason sellout streak to 39 games. The attendance underscored the interest surrounding a matchup between two prominent KBO teams.