The KBO League delivered another instant classic on May 23, 2026, as the KIA Tigers electrified their home crowd at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field with a jaw-dropping 8th inning comeback to topple the SSG Landers, 5-4. The victory not only propelled KIA to a two-game winning streak and firm grip on fourth place but also sent SSG spiraling into a six-game skid, deepening the woes for the once-surging squad.
For much of the night, the script seemed set for SSG. The visitors seized early momentum, with Chae Hyun-woo launching a two-run homer in the top of the second inning—his first of the season, and what a time to deliver. The shot over the left-field fence rattled the KIA battery and gave SSG a 2-0 lead. SSG kept their foot on the gas in the fifth. After singles from Ansang-hyun and Lee Ji-young put runners at the corners, Choi Ji-hoon ripped a double down the right-field line. KIA's right fielder Na Sung-bum struggled to corral the ball, committing a costly error that allowed both runners to score and Ji-hoon to race to third. Suddenly, SSG held a commanding 4-0 advantage, and the home fans grew restless.
KIA, however, refused to roll over. The Tigers began to chip away at the deficit in the bottom of the fifth. Park Min drew a walk and attempted to steal second. SSG's catcher fired wildly to second, and the center fielder's throw to third sailed even further off target. In a blink, Park Min dashed home, scoring on a pair of back-to-back SSG errors. It was a moment that seemed to inject new life into the KIA dugout.
The sixth inning saw KIA load the bases with one out, but SSG reliever Moon Seung-won entered in relief of starter Kim Gun-woo and doused the threat, inducing a pop-up and a groundout to keep the score at 4-1. SSG’s bullpen, though, would not hold up much longer.
In the seventh, chaos reigned. KIA’s Park Jung-woo reached on an infield single, and Park Jae-hyun followed with a base hit to center, putting runners at the corners with no outs. Kim Ho-ryeong grounded to first, sparking a rundown between third and home. Park Jung-woo was tagged out, but in the confusion, Park Jae-hyun circled the bases and scored when SSG’s infield committed yet another error. KIA inched closer, now trailing just 4-2, and the momentum was clearly shifting.
Then came the fateful eighth inning—a frame that will be talked about in Gwangju for years. SSG called on veteran reliever No Kyung-eun to preserve the lead, but KIA’s Adeline Rodriguez had other ideas. Rodriguez, who hadn’t homered in seven games, blasted a solo shot to left-center, cutting the deficit to one and sending the stadium into a frenzy. The Tigers weren’t finished. Na Sung-bum laced a double down the right field line, prompting a pinch-runner. Han Jun-soo followed with a two-bagger of his own, tying the game at 4-4. As the crowd roared, Kim Gyu-sung stepped to the plate and smashed a triple to deep right-center, scoring the go-ahead run. Four consecutive extra-base hits—home run, double, double, triple—turned the game on its head in mere minutes.
"We never gave up. That’s the spirit of this team," KIA manager Lee Soon-yong said after the game, his pride evident. "Every guy stepped up and believed we could win, no matter the situation." Rodriguez, the hero of the night, echoed the sentiment: "I just wanted to make good contact and help the team. The energy in the dugout was incredible."
On the mound, KIA’s legendary starter Yang Hyun-jong made history, surpassing 2,700 innings pitched in his KBO career—a feat previously accomplished only by Hanwha Eagles’ Song Jin-woo, who holds the all-time record with 3,003 innings. Yang, however, endured a tough outing, lasting five innings and surrendering four runs (three earned) on five hits, including the early homer. Still, his milestone was a bright spot, and the bullpen picked him up when it mattered most.
From the sixth inning onward, the KIA relievers slammed the door. Choi Ji-min, Han Jae-seung, Kwak Do-gyu, Jo Sang-woo, and closer Sung Young-tak combined for four scoreless innings, with Jo Sang-woo earning the win in a unique fashion—he threw just a single pitch in the eighth to retire one batter, becoming only the 29th pitcher in KBO history to win a game with a one-pitch appearance.
SSG’s own starter, Kim Gun-woo, was sharp through 5⅓ innings, yielding just one unearned run on four hits while striking out six. Yet, the bullpen woes proved fatal. After Moon Seung-won and Kim Min allowed a run apiece (both unearned), No Kyung-eun’s unraveling in the eighth sealed SSG’s fate. What looked like a much-needed victory to snap their losing streak instead became a bitter, stinging defeat—their sixth in a row.
Offensively, SSG’s lineup featured Park Sung-han, Jung Jun-jae, Oh Tae-gon, Guillermo Heredia, Kim Jae-hwan, An Sang-hyun, Chae Hyun-woo, Lee Ji-young, and Choi Ji-hoon. For KIA, the order included Park Jae-hyun, Kim Ho-ryeong, Kim Do-young, Adeline Rodriguez, Kim Sun-bin, Na Sung-bum, Han Jun-soo, Han Seung-yeon, and Park Min. Notably, KIA’s second baseman Park Sang-jun missed the contest due to a left side muscle injury, with Kim Ho-ryeong stepping in to fill the gap.
The Tigers’ win pushed their record to 24 wins, 1 draw, and 22 losses, keeping them firmly in fourth place as the season nears its midpoint. The Landers, meanwhile, dropped to 22 wins, 1 draw, and 24 losses, their playoff ambitions suddenly looking shaky.
The final frame was not without drama. SSG mounted a two-out rally in the ninth, putting runners on first and third against KIA closer Sung Young-tak. But with the tying run just 90 feet away, Sung induced a grounder to end the threat, and the celebration was on in Gwangju.
After a night of wild swings, defensive miscues, and thunderous hits, KIA’s resilience stood tall. With the league’s second all-time innings leader anchoring their rotation and an offense that never quits, the Tigers have sent a clear message: underestimate them at your peril. As for SSG, the search for answers continues, as their talented roster looks to snap out of this funk before the season slips away.