The Hanwha Eagles scored four runs in the eighth inning to beat the NC Dinos 6-4 at Changwon NC Park on Monday, securing the Korea Baseball Organization wild-card spot and a best-of-five series against the LG Twins beginning Wednesday at Jamsil.
How the comeback unfolded
Starter Félix Peña held the Dinos to two runs through six, but Hanwha's bullpen faltered in the seventh when back-to-back doubles tied the game. Manager Kim Kyung-moon pinch-hit veteran Choi Joo-hwan for a go-ahead sacrifice fly, and rookie No Si-hwan followed with a two-run double off a hanging slider.
Standings impact
Hanwha finished the regular season at 78-66, two games ahead of the SSG Landers for the third seed. The Doosan Bears, who fired three coaches after an earlier exit, watched from home as their archrivals celebrated in the dugout tunnel.
Pitching outlook
Eagles ace Ryu Hyun-jin is slated for Game One against LG's Casey Kelly, a rematch of a September series that split 1-1. Hanwha's bullpen ERA ranked fourth in the league during September after midseason acquisitions stabilized late innings.
Fan scene
The club sold out remaining wild-card inventory within 27 minutes online, and Incheon city officials added late subway service from Songdo to accommodate traveling supporters. Police reported no arrests despite a spirited outfield beer exchange when the tying run scored.
What's next
Game Two moves to Daejeon Hanwha Life Park on Thursday if necessary, with potential Games Four and Five back in Seoul. NC Dinos players boarded a bus for exit meetings while Eagles staff filmed a clubhouse celebration that aired on the team's app before midnight.
Historical note for the franchise
Hanwha last reached the postseason in 2018 before a rebuilding stretch that included bottom finishes and coaching overhauls. Owner Hanwha Group executives attended Monday's game and told local media they would freeze ticket prices for the wild-card round despite surging demand, a goodwill gesture after years of fan complaints about pricing.
Broadcast and ratings
KBS and SPO TV split the national feed, drawing a combined 2.1 million viewers at peak according to overnight gauges, strong for a weekday wildcard clincher. Highlights packages emphasized No Si-hwan's double, fueling fantasy-league roster moves before the LG series opens.
International players
Peña and fellow import Nick Martinez will share rotation starts against LG, while the Twins lean on their Korean core that led the league in on-base percentage after the Chuseok break. Interpreters traveled with the Eagles to ensure compliance with KBO media access rules during the celebration.
Ticket scalping monitors flagged 340 listings above face value within an hour of the clinch, prompting KBO security to remind fans that QR transfers must occur through the official resale portal. Hanwha threatened season-ticket suspensions for members caught brokering outside the app.
NC Dinos manager Kim Kyung-moon said his club would regroup for fall instructional league play while evaluating foreign pitching options for 2027. Dinos fans lingered in the parking lot chanting for next year, a softer ending than the wild-card heartbreak of 2023.