The LG Twins reclaimed sole possession of first place for the first time in 35 days, defeating the KIA Tigers behind home runs from Oh Ji-hwan and Austin Dean and a strong pitching performance by Song Seung-gi.
LG won 3-1 in a home game against KIA at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on Tuesday. Improving to 32 wins and 20 losses, LG climbed past Samsung (30 wins, 20 losses, 1 tie), which lost to Doosan the same day, to take the top spot. It was the first time LG has held sole first place since May 25, a span of 35 days.
LG took the lead in the bottom of the first inning with two outs and a runner on first, when Oh Ji-hwan attacked the first pitch from KIA starter Adam Oller and sent it over the right-field fence for a two-run homer. It was his second straight home run after going deep the previous day, and his fourth of the season. In the third inning, Austin added a solo shot off Oller to extend the lead to 3-0. It was his 12th home run of the season.
KIA pulled one back in the top of the eighth on a pinch-hit double by Han Jun-su with one out and a runner on first, but failed to add any further runs.
Starter Song Seung-gi shook off three straight early exits in his recent outings, allowing four hits with four strikeouts and no runs over 5⅓ innings to pick up his third win of the season against one loss. Closer Son Joo-young retired all three batters he faced in the ninth to record his seventh save of the season.
