The LG Twins advanced to the semi-playoffs after Austin Dean's go-ahead two-run homer and strong pitching carried them past the Doosan Bears. Doosan's postseason ended with a loss in the opening game of the wild card series as its offense went quiet.
LG defeated Doosan 4-1 in Game 1 of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO postseason wild card series at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on the 14th. The win secured a semi-playoff berth for LG, which finished fourth in the regular season. Fifth-place Doosan was eliminated after just one game.
LG will face the third-place Kia Tigers in the semi-playoffs. Game 1 between the two teams is set for 2 p.m. on the 17th at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field. The semi-playoff series is a best-of-five.
Austin was the central figure in the victory. He seized the early advantage with a two-run homer in the bottom of the first inning. After leadoff hitter Hong Chang-ki reached base on a hit-by-pitch, Austin drove a 128 kph curveball from Doosan starter Kwak Bin over the left-field wall. Austin, who went 1-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs, was named the game's most valuable player and received 1 million won in prize money.
LG squandered a chance to add runs in the bottom of the second. Koo Bon-hyuk's double, a walk to Park Dong-won and a throwing error by Doosan third baseman Ahn Jae-seok loaded the bases with no outs, but Hong Chang-ki, Park Hae-min and Austin went down on swinging strikeouts in succession.
Unable to extend its lead, LG relied on starter Carlos Carrasco to protect it. Carrasco, pitching on four days' rest, held Doosan to one run on four hits and one walk over six innings. Doosan starter Kwak Bin also pitched well, recording 10 strikeouts through six innings, but received no support from his offense. Kwak gave up three hits, including the home run, and four walks or hit-by-pitches while allowing two runs.
Doosan mounted a push in the top of the seventh. A hit by Junio Severino, a double by Yang Eui-ji and a hit-by-pitch to Kang Seung-ho loaded the bases with one out. Yang Seok-hwan hit a sacrifice fly to center field to cut the deficit by one run. But center fielder Park Hae-min chased down a deep drive to make the catch, leaving Doosan without further runs.
LG shut down Doosan's rally in the eighth and then added runs to put the game away. Kim Jin-su, who came on in relief in the top of the eighth, walked Jo Soo-haeng and faced a runner on second with one out after Park Chan-ho's sacrifice bunt. Lee Woo-chan, who followed him to the mound, walked Ahn Jae-seok but worked out of the jam by striking out Severino and Ryu Seung-min looking in succession.
Leading 2-1, LG put runners on first and third with one out in the bottom of the eighth on a hit by Song Chan-eui, a sacrifice bunt by Koo Bon-hyuk and a hit by Park Dong-won. Shin Min-jae then laid down a bunt single, bringing home Choi Won-young from third. Doosan pitcher Lee Young-ha followed with two wild pitches, allowing Park Dong-won to score from third and giving LG a 4-1 lead.
LG sealed the win when closer Kim Kang-ryul retired Doosan in order in the top of the ninth.
Under the wild card format introduced in 2015, the fourth-place team advances to the semi-playoffs with a single win or draw. The fifth-place team, by contrast, must win both games to move on. Doosan in 2024 is the only fourth-place team to have been eliminated with two straight losses, falling to the fifth-place KT Wiz.
Doosan, back in the postseason after two years, was again stopped in the wild card round. LG, meanwhile, extended its postseason run at Jamsil Baseball Stadium, which is to be demolished after this season, and will now meet Kia in the semi-playoffs.