As the 2024 KBO season progresses, here is a look at the top news and notes from the past day in Korea’s highest level of professional baseball.
Landers and Wiz Poised For Photo Finish – The SSG Landers have gotten red hot at just the right time, winning eight of their last ten as their season hangs in the balance. The Landers have taken advantage of a pair of games against the last-place NC Dinos, winning both contests by a combined score of 18-3.
SSG's Han Yoo-seom with the 1st inning home run to help the Landers roll on to the 10-1 win over NC. SSG and KT are now tied for 5th place with 2 games left to play https://t.co/dHStsgfFIh
— Dan Kurtz (@MyKBO) September 26, 2024
The Wiz, meanwhile, scratched out a crucial win earlier today against the Kiwoom Heroes to stay a half game ahead of the Landers. Kang Baek-ho tied the game in the bottom of the ninth with his first home run in over a month before Jang Sung-woo’s sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 12th secured the Wiz’s 8-7 victory.
KT 위즈 올시즌 연장전 12승째(2패)
키움 히어로즈전 상대전적 13승(2패) pic.twitter.com/ibjSIZUxfJ
— 배지헌 Jiheon Pae (@jhpae117) September 27, 2024
The Wiz can clinch the fifth and final postseason spot with a win against the Kiwoom Heroes on Saturday and a loss by the SSG Landers to the Hanwha Eagles. If one of both of those outcomes does not happen, all eyes will turn to the Landers’ Monday matchup against the Kiwoom Heroes.
Doosan Bears Lock Up Fourth Seed – The Doosan Bears were able to escape a potential tie-breaker mess with the Wiz and the Landers when they clinched the fourth seed in the KBO’s upcoming postseason. The Bears took care of business with a 4-3 victory over the Lotte Giants, thanks in large part to a masterful performance from ace Gwak Been.
Doosan's Gwak Been pitched 6 scoreless innings, giving up only 4 hits, while striking out 7 as the Bears beat Lotte 4-3 and secured 4th place https://t.co/GDNMRDb0i8
— Dan Kurtz (@MyKBO) September 26, 2024
Been has been a workhouse for the Bears all season, ranking seventh in the KBO with 167 ⅔ inning pitched and tying the league-lead with 15 wins. He and the Bears can now reset their rotation before a first-round matchup against either the Wiz or the Landers.
KBO Standings as of Friday, September 27
1. KIA Tigers (85-55-2)
2. Samsung Lions (78-63-2)
3. LG Twins (75-66-2)
4. Doosan Bears (73-68-2)
5. KT Wiz (71-70-2)
6. SSG Landers (70-70-2)
7. Hanwha Eagles (64-74-2)
8. Lotte Giants (65-73-4)
9. NC Dinos (60-78-2)
10. Kiwoom Heroes (58-84-0)
Watch KBO games using the global streaming platform SOOP.
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WBN KBO: https://worldbaseball.com/league/south-korea/
