Hanwha Eagles vs KIA Tigers

Hanwha erased KIA's 2-0 lead in the bottom of the seventh. Moon Hyun-bin singled off KIA starter Keisho Shirakawa, who was then lifted after a season-best 6⅓ innings (two hits, one earned run, three strikeouts — his first quality start in 773 days). Left-hander Kim Beom-su retired Kang Baek-ho on a fly ball, but Jeon Sang-hyun immediately surrendered the equaliser. Noh Si-hwan, on a 1-1 count, crushed a low forkball over the left-centre wall for a two-run homer — his 25th of the season.

The game swung decisively in KIA's favour in the top of the ninth. Kim Tae-gun was hit by a pitch from Hanwha reliever Park Sang-won, who then exited with back discomfort. New pitcher Hwang Jun-seo walked pinch-hitter Jeong Hyeon-chang. Lee Min-woo entered and faced Park Jae-hyun, who lined a two-seam fastball through the left side for a go-ahead single, scoring pinch-runner Kim Min-gyu.

After Park Jung-woo sacrificed the runners into scoring position, Hanwha faced a defining decision: walk the league's home-run leader Kim Do-young to load the bases or pitch to him. They pitched to him. Kim Do-young launched a three-run homer over the left-field wall, giving KIA a 6-2 lead.

In the bottom of the ninth, KIA reliever Jo Sang-woo allowed consecutive singles to Kim Tae-yeon and Lee Jin-young. Moon Hyun-bin then grounded into a double play, scoring one run, but the threat ended. Lee Ui-ri closed with a three-pitch inning after Jo Sang-woo was lifted.

Kim Do-young (KIA): 2-for-4 with a walk and the decisive three-run homer. The 22-year-old third baseman extended his KBO home-run lead, now just two shy of the career-high 38 he set during his MVP 2024 campaign. Player of the Match.

Keisho Shirakawa (KIA): 6⅓ innings, two hits, two walks, three strikeouts, one earned run — his first quality start in 773 days and his best outing since joining KIA, though he did not get the win.

Owen White (Hanwha): Seven innings, five hits, two earned runs, six strikeouts. The right-hander entered with a 1.29 ERA against KIA this season but received no run support for the third consecutive start.

Castro (KIA): 1-for-4 with a solo home run in the third that gave KIA the early cushion.

Noh Si-hwan (Hanwha): 1-for-3 with a two-run homer in the seventh that briefly pulled Hanwha level.

The final linescore — KIA 6, Hanwha 3 — understates how tight the game was entering the ninth. KIA out-hit Hanwha 7-5. The decisive stat: KIA's four-run ninth came on three hits and two walks against three Hanwha relievers, while Hanwha's bullpen recorded just one out before the game was effectively decided. By contrast, KIA's relief corps of Kim Beom-su, Jeon Sang-hyun, Sung Young-tak, Jo Sang-woo and Lee Ui-ri allowed just two hits over 2⅔ innings after Shirakawa's exit.

KIA improved to 58-48-2, maintaining sole possession of fourth place in the KBO standings with the playoff race intensifying. The Tigers have won four straight and eight of their last 12. Hanwha dropped to 48-55-3, stuck in sixth place and now five games back of fifth-place Doosan Bears.

Next fixtures: KIA Tigers travel to Gocheok to face the Kiwoom Heroes on 21 August. Hanwha Eagles continue their homestand against the LG Twins on 20 August.

KIA showed the depth of a playoff contender: Shirakawa delivered his best start in over two years, the bullpen held in the middle innings, and Kim Do-young produced the decisive moment when it mattered most. For Hanwha, White's quality start was wasted by a bullpen that could not hold a tie in the ninth, and an offence that managed just five hits across nine innings.