Samsung Lions edged Hanwha Eagles 3–2 at Daegu Lions Park on 1 October for a fifth consecutive victory, with Lee Jae-hyun’s seventh-inning two-run homer breaking the club’s single-season home-run record for a Korean shortstop while captain Koo Ja-wook’s 0.371 average still tops the league table.

How the comeback unfolded

Hanwha starter Won Tae-in held Samsung scoreless through six until Kim Heon-gon tied the game with a solo shot—his first homer in 544 days. Manager Park Jin-man started Lee at third in place of injured Ku Ja-wook, betting on postseason form after the Asian Games.

Lee attacked reliever Joo Hyun-sang’s low curve for a 17th homer of 2026, surpassing Kim Tae-gyun’s 1997 mark for shortstops in Lions history. The swing cleared a 1–1 tie and let closer Oh Won-seok work a quiet ninth.

Standings context

Samsung sits second behind KT Wiz, who beat KIA 7–5 the same night on Kim Hyun-soo’s eighth-inning go-ahead blast. Doosan stayed five games back of the wild-card line after a 9–7 win over NC, while LG lost to SSG 6–5 as part of a Landers sweep.

Remaining schedule

KBO’s second makeup slate runs through 12 October before wild-card series open 14 October. Samsung’s magic number to clinch outright second place ticked down with the streak, but rain makeup in Gwangju could still shuffle home-field slots.

What fans watch next

Lee’s power surge gives Samsung an alternative bat when Ku rests a hamstring; Woojin Ryu’s desk will track whether the Lions enter the postseason with both middle-infield stars healthy—or whether Lee’s record homer night becomes the story they ride into a KT rematch.

Pitching note

Starter Ariel Jurado allowed two earned runs over six innings despite Ku’s absence from the lineup; the bullpen recorded four scoreless frames. Hanwha remains ninth in the table, but Samsung’s head-to-head dominance this year—twelve wins and a tie in seventeen meetings—buoys fan expectations even if KT clinches the top seed before the weekend ends.

Wild-card math

KIA sits fourth, two games ahead of Doosan after Thursday’s slate; LG’s fifth straight loss tightened the race for home field in the wild-card round opening 14 October. Lions fans in Daegu sold out remaining home dates as the club markets Lee’s record homer night in ticket bundles with Kim Heon-gon bobbleheads.