▲ Lee Ho-yeon records a rare pinch-hit, come-from-behind walk-off grand slam
The KIA Tigers, who previously wept after suffering a walk-off come-from-behind grand slam against the Kiwoom Heroes, turned the tables with an identical come-from-behind walk-off home run to get even against the Lotte Giants.
This marks only the second time in KBO League history that a pinch-hit, come-from-behind walk-off grand slam has been achieved.
In a home game of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League held at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field on August 25, the KIA Tigers pulled off a thrilling 8-5 comeback victory thanks to a pinch-hit grand slam over the right-field wall by Lee Ho-yeon with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning, trailing 5-4.
Lee Ho-yeon became the second player in KBO history to achieve the rare feat, following Lee Taek-keun (then with the Nexen Heroes), who hit the league's first-ever pinch-hit, come-from-behind walk-off grand slam against the Hanwha Eagles on May 18, 2017.
Just two days prior, KIA suffered a painful and empty-handed comeback loss after surrendering a walk-off grand slam to Kim Jae-hyun in the bottom of the ninth inning while leading Kiwoom 7-4. Mirroring that exact scene, KIA managed to snap its losing streak in dramatic fashion, this time coming out on top.
Trailing 4-5 in the bottom of the ninth with one out and nobody on base, KIA's Na Sung-bum ignited the offense with a single to left field off Lotte closer Kim Won-jung.
Although pinch-hitter Lee Chang-jin struck out, threatening to end the game, Kim Ho-rong singled to left field to keep the spark alive with two outs and runners on first and second.
Capitalizing on Kim Won-jung's shaky control, Kim Tae-gun drew a walk to load the bases.
Stepping up to the plate as a pinch hitter, Lee Ho-yeon launched a 2-ball, 1-strike forkball from Kim Won-jung over the right-field wall for an unbelievable, game-winning grand slam, receiving a celebratory water bath from his teammates.
At Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, the LG Twins edged the NC Dinos 5-4 in 10 innings, propelled by Austin Dean's stellar performance—highlighted by hitting for the cycle—and Hong Chang-ki's walk-off hit.
Trailing 2-0 with one out and runners on first and third in the bottom of the eighth, Austin roared as he powerfully pulled a flat slider from NC's fourth pitcher, Sohn Joo-hwan, for a go-ahead, three-run home run over the left-field fence.
Hitting his 33rd home run of the season to narrow the gap with league leader Kim Do-young (38 home runs, KIA) to five, Austin stepped up as the leadoff hitter in the top of the 10th inning with his team again trailing 4-3, driving a triple directly off the center-field fence to complete the cycle.
Having hit a double in the fourth and a single to right field in the sixth, Austin delivered consecutive clutch hits with a home run and a triple to save his team.
The LG Twins immediately tied the game 4-4 when Song Chan-eui laced a double down the left-field line.
Then, with two outs and the bases loaded, Hong Chang-ki drove in the winning run with a sharp walk-off single into the right-center gap.
The Doosan Bears battery combined for a 3-1 victory against league leaders KT Wiz on the road in Suwon.
Starting pitcher Choi Min-seok held KT to one run on six hits over six innings, claiming his 12th win of the season (3 losses) and pulling ahead as the sole leader in victories.
Yang Eui-ji, the veteran catcher who guided Choi's stellar pitching, hit a go-ahead solo shot to left field in the sixth inning with the score tied 1-1, passing the historic milestone of 300 career home runs as the third catcher and 17th player overall in KBO history.
Although KT placed runners on base in every inning through the fourth, they managed only a single run from Kim Hyun-soo's RBI single in the third. Doosan responded in the fifth when Jung Su-bin tied the game 1-1 with a sharp home run over the right-field wall.
Having turned the tide with Yang Eui-ji's home run, Doosan extended its lead to 3-1 in the seventh inning with one out and runners on first and third, as third base runner Jung Su-bin alertly dashed home on Ahn Jae-seok's grounder to first base.
The Samsung Lions played to a 3-3 tie against the Kiwoom Heroes in their away game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul.
Trailing 1-3, Samsung leveled the score in the top of the eighth when Koo Ja-wook hit a two-run double.
However, Samsung repeatedly missed opportunities in subsequent innings, leaving runners stranded with two outs and runners on first and second in the eighth, two outs and runners on first and second in the ninth, and no outs with runners on first and second in the 10th inning.
Kiwoom also squandered scoring chances with two outs and a runner on second in the bottom of the ninth and the bottom of the 11th.
In Incheon, the SSG Landers defeated the Hanwha Eagles 7-1.
Tied 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth, SSG broke the game open by scoring six runs ignited by Choi Ji-hoon's RBI single into right-center, followed by pinch-hitter Oh Tae-gon's single to right, a bases-loaded walk, consecutive RBI singles by Guillermo Heredia, and pinch-hitter Han Yoo-sum.
Hanwha avoided a shutout thanks to Moon Hyun-bin's solo home run.
(Photo provided by KIA Tigers, Yonhap News)
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