KT Wiz held onto first place with a dramatic walk-off victory over the LG Twins. The walk-off hero was Kang Min-seong (27), who had five career hits in the pros.
KT defeated LG 6-5 in a 10th-inning walk-off at Suwon KT Wiz Park on the 28th. The game swung from the seventh inning. Trailing 0-2, KT attacked LG's bullpen in the seventh and took the lead 3-2 on Kim Min-hyeok's two-run RBI with two outs and runners on second and third. However, in the eighth, closers Han Seung-hyeok and Park Young-hyun were both roughed up, allowing LG to retake the lead at 5-3.
KT had a bases-loaded chance with one out in the bottom of the ninth. With two outs and the bases loaded, Choi Won-joon reached on an infield hit to the shortstop to make it 5-4, and Kim Hyun-soo drew a bases-loaded walk on a full count to tie it 5-5. In the bottom of the 10th, after one out, Kwon Dong-jin reached on an infield hit to second base and Kim Sang-su drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Yu Jun-kyu struck out, but Kang Min-seong became the hero with the walk-off hit.
Kang Min-seong entered the game as the third baseman in the 10th inning. He made his name with the dramatic walk-off hit. After the game, Kang Min-seong said, "While waiting in the on-deck circle, coach Yuhan-jun told me to look for the breaking ball and try to hit it once. After many failures last year, I tried not to hesitate this year, and thought that I might not hit anyway, so I decided to swing freely and boldly, and it produced a good result."
What did it feel like to hit a walk-off? Kang Min-seong said, "Oh, a day like this comes, I couldn't quite believe it. The moment I made contact I thought, oh, it's a hit." He added with a laugh, "It's the most thrilling moment since turning pro. Since I started playing baseball in elementary school, I imagined what it would feel like to hit a walk-off, and it happened today. It feels much better than I imagined."
It was the most memorable moment of his pro career. Kang Min-seong said, "The older players congratulated me a lot. When I couldn't get into games and was sent down to the second team, the older players cheered me on a lot." He added, "While on the bench in the 10th inning, senior Yun Seok said, 'Minsung, I think it's going to come to you today,' but honestly I tried to let go rather than be greedy. I relaxed my mind. I thought I'd just try what I had prepared and went up to the plate."
Kang Min-seong was drafted by KT in the 2019 rookie draft in the second phase, sixth round (overall No. 51). He mainly played in the Futures League and entered this season with five career hits in the first team through last year. After completing his military service, he debuted in the first team in 2023 and recorded four hits in 22 at-bats (a .182 average). Last year he managed only one hit in 30 at-bats over 25 games (a .033 average).
This season in the Futures League he played 18 games, batting .368 (25 hits in 68 at-bats) with five home runs and 14 RBIs, and he was called up to the first team on the 23rd. Kang Min-seong said, "When I was in the Futures last year I thought I was confident, but when I came up to the first team I failed and was sent down, going back and forth a lot, and I started to wonder if there was a limit," describing a difficult period.
The walk-off hit gave him confidence. Kang Min-seong said, "It made me think days like this can come, and I feel I can be confident from tomorrow. I won't hesitate in the batter's box, and this gave me a chance to be bolder and trust myself more even when I play in games."
Kang Min-seong said, "I think I'm a slugger, a mid-to-long-distance hitter. I'm not the best contact hitter, but I consider myself a power hitter," highlighting his strength. He has recorded double-digit home runs for four consecutive years in the Futures League.
Kang Min-seong said, "If I take it step by step, when I was in the military the team won the championship. I want to receive a championship ring when the team wins. I don't think being a great player is the only way to win a championship, so even as a backup I want to win a championship with the team at least once," expressing his hope.
He added, "Fans always say kind things. There are many who say the late-blooming flower is beautiful and many who cheer, saying, 'You'll definitely do well.' I really think it's thanks to the fans that this turned out well. Rather than personal goals, my goal is to be on the roster and do what's needed in key moments as a pinch hitter or defensive substitute and win the championship together."
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