Austin Shakes Off 'Autumn Slump' with Birthday Game-Winner: 'I Was Confident in the Curveball'

LG Twins foreign hitter Austin Dean was performing well enough to be considered a strong regular-season Most Valuable Player (MVP) candidate until mid-last month.

As of September 15, he ranked at the top of various batting categories, placing 1st in slugging percentage and RBIs, 2nd in home runs and on-base percentage, 3rd in hits, and 4th in batting average.

Despite LG's overall lackluster offense, which lingered at 8th in team batting average through September, the team kept up its race in the upper tier fueled by Austin's stellar hitting.

However, as the autumn breeze began to blow, Austin's bat went cold as if by magic.

From September 15 until the final game of the regular season, he managed to add only two home runs across 18 games. In particular, he went hitless in all of the final three regular-season games starting from the match against the Lotte Giants on October 9.

At the time, LG was locked in a nail-biting rankings race for 3rd place with the KIA Tigers, making Austin's slump all the more painful.

As Austin failed to find his strength, the LG batting lineup also lost its momentum.

Scoring a total of just 7 runs over their final 3 games, LG recorded 1 win and 2 losses, ultimately surrendering 3rd place to KIA.

In many ways, Austin's slump left lingering regrets.

However, Austin awoke again at the most crucial moment.

He led his team to victory by hitting a priceless, game-winning home run today (the 14th) in the Wild Card (WC) opener against the Doosan Bears held at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul.

In the bottom of the 1st inning with 1 out and a runner on 1st, tied 0-0, he launched a go-ahead two-run shot over the left-field wall against Doosan ace Kwak 빈.

With a count of 2 balls and 2 strikes, he seized a high curveball thrown by Kwak 빈 without missing it and connected it for a refreshing home run.

Kwak 빈 struggled to find his control early in the game following the aftermath of pitching 8 days prior since the Lotte game on the 6th, and Austin did not let that opening slip away.

The LG lineup was tied down tightly by Kwak 빈's fierce pitching as he regained stability starting from the 2nd inning, failing to score additional runs through the 7th.

However, thanks to the single home run Austin blasted early in the game, the team was able to protect its lead.

Leading 2-1, LG added two runs in the 8th to secure a 4-1 victory, and Austin's home run stood as the game-winning RBI.

Though Austin struck out in all three of his remaining plate appearances, he was named the Game MVP thanks to the single home run that decided the outcome.

The day held even greater significance as it marked Austin's 33rd birthday.

Joining LG in 2023, Austin is regarded as the greatest foreign hitter in the club's history.

Since joining, he has recorded a regular-season batting average of 0.310 or higher for 4 consecutive years, while posting 20 or more home runs and 90 or more RBIs every season.

This season, he played in all 144 games, recording a batting average of 0.331 (4th), 41 home runs (3rd), 127 RBIs (3rd), an on-base percentage of 0.427 (4th), a slugging percentage of 0.635 (2nd), and 180 hits (3rd).

Although he missed out on the home run title, he broke the record for the most home runs in a single season by an LG hitter (38), previously set by foreign hitter Roberto Ramos in 2020, etching his name into club history.

Celebrating his birthday during his final autumn baseball games at Jamsil Stadium, he delivered an unforgettable, wonderful gift to LG fans as well.

After the game, Austin remarked, "I also hit a home run in a Doosan game on my birthday in 2023, and hitting a home run on your birthday feels really great. As I get older, I don't really think about birthdays. It just means a few more gray hairs."

Regarding his home run sequence, he shared, "When a ball came into the zone I wanted, I tried to swing my bat with as much confidence as possible, but the opposing battery targeted the edges of the strike zone. The curveball that flew in in that situation was a pitch I was confident in. I'm satisfied that I connected it for a home run."

Austin now moves on to the semi-playoffs against the KIA Tigers.

Waiting for him at KIA is his "rival" Kim Do-young, with whom he engaged in a fierce battle for this season's home run title.

Asked about his batting showdown with Kim Do-young, Austin stated, "The regular season is in the past, and I congratulate Kim Do-young on claiming the home run title. The regular season and the postseason are different. I will focus on playing the role I am capable of."

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.