Samsung's shortstop publicly took the blame after his team's playoff loss to KIA, 조선일보 reports, while also defending his teammates and expressing confidence in the club's resilience. The two sides now meet in a decisive game in Daegu, with a Korean Series berth on the line.
According to 조선일보, the shortstop — described in the headline as the national team's shortstop — said the fault was his own. The same report says he spoke up for the players around him and voiced faith in the team's underlying strength. The article frames the question as whether Samsung can produce a happy ending at Daegu's ballpark.
YTN reported that KIA, pushed to the brink, struck back to force the final matchup in Daegu. KBS News reported that a lion error helped the Tigers, and that the playoff series now goes to a fifth game. NewsPim reported that Samsung lost after a comeback against it despite emptying its bullpen, and that the team's fate now rests on the shoulders of Hurado and Won Tae-in. Yonhap published a photo caption of Han Jun-su celebrating.
The series has swung on late-inning relief and defensive mistakes, and the deciding game leaves both clubs with little margin. The winner advances to the Korean Series.
What to watch: whether Samsung's rotation can carry the load in Daegu, and whether KIA's comeback momentum holds in the final game.