Dragged down 1-5, thrilling 7-5 'Great Comeback Victory'
Gwangju Mayor Kang Gi-jung: "Tigers are the Power of Gwangju"
On the 28th, KIA players celebrated their first integrated championship in seven years during the Game 5 of the 2024 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO Postseason Korean Series held at Gwangju Kia Champions Field. [Photo by Yonhap News]
The KIA Tigers have claimed the championship trophy in the Korean Series (KS). It is their first title in seven years. With this year’s KS victory, KIA achieved the remarkable feat of ‘V12’.
On the 28th, at Gwangju Kia Champions Field, the KIA Tigers staged a thrilling comeback against the Samsung Lions in Game 5 of the 2024 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO Korean Series. Trailing 1-5 in the early innings, KIA rallied in the middle of the game to win 7-5. Securing their 12th championship trophy, KIA claimed the combined regular season and Korean Series title for the first time since 2017.
The Honam-based team, the Tigers, won nine championships during the Haitai era (KIA’s predecessor) in 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, and 1997. Since becoming KIA, they also captured the Korean Series titles in 2009 and 2017.
After trailing early in the game, KIA turned the tide with a sixth-inning rally and then deployed their full bullpen to secure the victory. With the win firmly in hand, KIA’s ‘guardian’ Jeong Hae-young struck out Samsung’s final batter Kim Seong-yoon swinging in the top of the ninth inning, completing the ‘V12’ milestone.
Samsung suffered a painful blown lead due to bullpen struggles in this game. Although they have won the championship eight times, they had to swallow the disappointment of finishing as runners-up for the 11th time in the Korean Series, the most among the 10 teams.
Gwangju City Announces Congratulations Message for KIA Tigers' Korean Series Victory. [Image provided by Gwangju City]
Meanwhile, Gwangju Mayor Kang Ki-jung congratulated KIA on achieving ‘V12’, saying, “The KIA Tigers are the strength of Gwangju.”
Upon KIA’s confirmed KS victory, Mayor Kang issued a message stating, “On behalf of the citizens of Gwangju, I warmly congratulate the V12.”
In his message, Mayor Kang said, “Following author Han Kang’s Nobel Prize in Literature, KIA’s Korean Series championship has given the citizens overwhelming emotion and joy. The 43-year history of the Tigers, filled with tears and laughter shared with the citizens, embodies Gwangju’s joy, excitement, smiles, vitality, and all happiness. Gwangju is a happy baseball city that embraces the KIA Tigers,” he emphasized.
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