In brief
In a bid to spark the top of the lineup, Kia Tigers manager Lee Bum‑ho has decided to keep the same batting order from Game 4 for Sunday's elimination matchup. The series, tied 2‑2, sees the Tigers advance to the Korean Series if they win. Lee cited the success of the previous lineup and the need to counter the automated strike‑calling system.
Sunday’s Game 5 between the Kia Tigers and Samsung Lions will see the Tigers stick to the exact same batting order they used to secure a 4‑2 win in Game 4, according to Yonhap.
The best‑of‑five postseason series is now tied at 2‑2, and the winner will advance to the Korean Series the following Tuesday at Suwon, just south of Seoul.
At Daegu Samsung Lions Park, Lee Bum‑ho plans to promote the Tigers’ big‑hitters up the order: Kim Do‑yeong will bat second, Harold Castro third, and Na Sung‑bum will start the cleanup spot. Kim, who led the regular season with 45 home runs, has seven hits in the series but only one RBI; Lee said the re‑ordering was intended to keep the power hitters closer to the plate for a better chance to win.
"We won Game 4 with this lineup and we just don’t have guys that are swinging the bat well who can hit in front of Do‑yeong," Lee said in a pre‑game media interview.
"This is not that big of a ballpark and we wanted to have our home‑run threats hitting higher up in the lineup. I felt it would give us the best chance to win."
Lee also mentioned the automated ball‑strike system that has made pitches in the middle and upper zones more likely to be called as strikes. He said the Tigers are practicing to “look for mistakes toward the middle of the zone” so they can capitalize on high‑pitch calls.
The Tigers’ eighth postseason game of the fall follows a 3‑game sweep of the LG Twins in the previous series. Lee noted that the team has faced high‑stress playoff baseball since early October in pursuit of the third seed and a first‑round bye.
