In a night packed with drama, milestones, and a roaring crowd at Seoul’s Jamsil Baseball Stadium, LG secured a sensational 2-1 walk-off victory over Hanwha in extra innings on August 8, 2025. The matchup, billed by many as a potential preview of the Korean Series, pitted the top two teams in the KBO League against each other and delivered every ounce of anticipation fans could hope for.
The stakes were unmistakably high. With LG holding a slim lead over second-place Hanwha, the energy in the stadium was palpable from the first pitch. A packed house of 23,750 fans filled every seat, their collective anticipation buzzing through the humid night air. As the teams battled inning after inning, it was clear that this was more than just another regular season game—it was a statement about who truly belonged at the top.
Hanwha drew first blood in the fifth inning. After Sim Woo-jun reached base with a single and stole second, it was the newly-acquired Son Ah-seop who stepped up. In his first start since joining Hanwha, Son delivered a clutch single to left, driving in the game’s opening run and giving the visitors a 1-0 lead. The Hanwha dugout erupted, and their fans began to believe an upset was brewing.
LG, however, refused to blink. For six innings, Hanwha’s ace Ryu Hyun-jin was masterful, scattering six hits and striking out five without allowing a run. But as soon as Ryu left the mound, LG pounced. In the bottom of the seventh, with two outs and runners on first and second, Austin Dean laced a timely single, bringing the score level at 1-1. The stadium exploded in cheers, the momentum visibly shifting in LG’s favor.
Both bullpens traded zeros through the eighth and ninth, setting the stage for a tense tenth inning. Hanwha’s closer Kim Seo-hyun, who had struggled earlier in the week, was called upon once again. LG’s Kim Hyun-soo led off the bottom of the tenth with a booming double to right-center, igniting the home crowd. Next, Oh Ji-hwan ripped a double to left-center, pushing pinch runner Son Yong-jun to third base. Hanwha, sensing danger, intentionally walked Park Dong-won to load the bases, hoping for a double play to escape the jam.
Enter Chun Seong-ho, the mid-season acquisition from KT. Facing a 152 km/h fastball from Kim Seo-hyun, Chun didn’t flinch. He drove the pitch straight up the middle for a walk-off single, sending his teammates and the entire stadium into a frenzy. As the LG bench emptied onto the field, Chun was mobbed by his teammates, the moment cementing his place in LG lore.
“I just tried to stay calm and look for a pitch I could handle,” Chun said after the game, his uniform still streaked with dirt and Gatorade. “When I saw the ball go through, I knew we had it. The fans were unbelievable tonight.”
With the win, LG stretched its lead over Hanwha to two games, maintaining sole possession of first place in the league. The victory was not just about the standings; it was about resilience, clutch performances, and the kind of late-game heroics that define championship contenders.
Another storyline unfolded quietly but significantly: Kim Hyun-soo, LG’s veteran outfielder, achieved a historic milestone by collecting his 2,500th career hit. Going 3-for-5 on the night, Kim joined an elite group—becoming only the fourth player in KBO history to reach that mark, alongside Son Ah-seop, Choi Hyung-woo, and retired legend Park Yong-taek. The crowd acknowledged the feat with a standing ovation, and Kim’s teammates celebrated his achievement between innings.
“It’s an honor to be mentioned with those great players,” Kim said, beaming. “But tonight was about the team. We needed that win, and everyone stepped up.”
For Hanwha, the loss stung. Closer Kim Seo-hyun’s struggles continued, having now allowed six runs in just 1⅔ innings over his last three outings. Ryu Hyun-jin’s stellar six-inning, scoreless start went unrewarded, and the offense, after breaking through in the fifth, failed to capitalize on further opportunities. Still, Son Ah-seop’s performance in his first start since the trade was a bright spot, and the team remains firmly in the playoff mix as the season heads into its final stretch.
Elsewhere in the league, other teams made their own headlines. In Suwon, Samsung bested KT 8-4, powered by a ninth-inning, two-run homer from Kang Min-ho. That blast was historic: Kang became just the third player in KBO history to hit double-digit home runs in 16 consecutive seasons, joining Choi Jeong and Choi Hyung-woo in that exclusive club. Samsung’s offense was relentless, with every starter notching at least one hit, and the win marked their second straight victory.
SSG, meanwhile, eked out a 1-0 road win over Lotte, with Park Sung-han’s RBI single in the third inning standing as the game’s only run. The pitching staff held firm, preserving the slim lead and securing a valuable victory in the playoff race.
In Changwon, NC snapped a three-game skid by outlasting KIA 5-4. KIA had tied the game at 3-3 in the top of the sixth thanks to a two-run homer from Kim Sun-bin, but NC answered right back in the bottom half with a two-run shot from Davidson. The see-saw battle thrilled the home fans and kept NC’s postseason hopes alive.
Over at Gocheok Sky Dome, Doosan’s veteran Yang Ui-ji put on a show, blasting two two-run homers in back-to-back at-bats to lead his team to a commanding 9-2 win over Kiwoom. Kiwoom’s starter Kim Yun-ha was tagged for seven runs in five innings, extending his personal losing streak to a tough 17 games dating back to last season.
Off the field, the league celebrated a remarkable milestone as total attendance for the season surpassed nine million fans—reaching the mark in just 528 games, well ahead of last year’s pace. With the KBO having set a single-season attendance record of ten million in 2024, league officials are now eyeing a possible twelve million by season’s end, underscoring the growing popularity and excitement surrounding Korean baseball.
With August heating up and every game carrying playoff implications, the KBO League’s top teams are delivering high-stakes action, unforgettable moments, and a race for the ages. As LG and Hanwha continue their battle atop the standings, fans can expect more fireworks before the postseason picture comes into focus.
