The Samsung Lions managed just one hit in their 3-0 Wild Card win against the NC Dinos on Tuesday, a Korea Baseball Organization record for the fewest hits in a postseason victory.
The Lions lost the first game of the series on Monday, 4-1. However, as the higher seed in the matchup, they lived to see another day. Samsung needed a win or a tie on Tuesday to advance to the best-of-five Semi-Playoff round to face the SSG Landers.
Dinos starting pitcher Logan Allen lost command of the strike zone in the bottom of the first inning at Daegu Samsung Lions Park. Lions shortstop Lee Jae-hyeon led off the game with a single, and Allen walked four batters in the frame, allowing two runs to score on the free passes.
Lee’s leadoff single was the Lions’ only hit of the game, but the Dinos managed just four knocks against starter Won Tae-in. Won threw six scoreless innings and struck out five, working himself out of a one-out jam in the sixth inning. After walking Park Min-woo and plunking Matt Davidson with a pitch, the right-hander got two quick outs to end the threat.
The Lions’ offense was held quiet by Allen and the Dinos’ bullpen until the eighth inning, when right fielder Kim Seong-yoon extended the lead to three with a sacrifice fly.
The loss was the Dinos’ first since Sept. 20 against the Kia Tigers. They won the final nine games on their regular season schedule and stole the first game of the Wild Card series on the road against the Lions.
Game 1 of the Semi-Playoff matchup between the Lions and Landers is Thursday at 1 a.m. EDT at Incheon SSG Landers Field in Incheon, South Korea. If the series extends to a fifth game, it will occur next Wednesday.
The winner will advance to the Playoff series against the club that finished with the second-best regular-season record, the Hanwha Eagles. The top-seeded LG Twins earned an automatic berth to the Korean Series, set to begin on Saturday, Oct. 25 at 1 a.m. EDT.
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