Kia Tigers clinch 12th Korean Series title with come-from-behind win over Samsung Lions

The Kia Tigers beat the Samsung Lions 7-5 in Game 5 of the 2024 Korean Series at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju on Monday, winning the best-of-seven series 4-1 to claim their 12th series title.

The Kia Tigers celebrate winning the 2024 Korean Series after beating the Samsung Lions 7-5 at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju on Monday. [YONHAP]

The Kia Tigers beat the Samsung Lions 7-5 in Game 5 of the 2024 Korean Series at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju on Monday, winning the best-of-seven series 4-1 to claim their 12th series title.

The Tigers were off to a shaky start in the beginning, with the first inning ending 3-1 for the Lions, before the Daegu club made it 5-2 by the end of the third inning.

But the Tigers gradually bounced back from the fifth inning when they hit three, and Kim Tae-gun drove in a run with an infield single in the bottom of the sixth to turn the score around to 6-5, before the Tigers scored one more in the eighth inning to seal the 7-5 win and their 12th title.

Monday’s victory extends the Tigers’ dominance in the Korean Series, having reached it the most times at 12 and winning every time.

The 12th title marks the end of a successful run by the Tigers throughout the 2024 KBO season, during which they also won the regular season title with seven games left to play.

The two titles come under rookie manager Lee Bum-ho, who was unexpectedly promoted from hitting coach to the hot seat when former manager Kim Jong-kook was fired amid a bribery scandal in January.

Lee oversaw a squad that included veteran starter and former Major Leaguer Yang Hyeon-jong, who this season broke the KBO’s all-time strikeout record with 2,049, as well as 20-year-old leading MVP candidate Kim Do-yeong.

As for the Lions, Monday’s loss marks their 11th runner-up finish in the series, the most by any KBO team.

The Lions are still the second most successful team in Korean Series history, having made it to the series 19 times, with eight wins. Their last victory came in 2014.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]