Kim powers Tigers past Twins 5-1 in postseason opener

Kim Do-yeong hit two home runs and drove in four runs as the Kia Tigers beat the LG Twins 5-1 in their KBO postseason series opener Saturday at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field, according to The Korea Times.

The victory gave Kia the opening edge in the best-of-five series. Kim, who led the KBO with 45 regular-season home runs, supplied both the go-ahead hit and the late scoring that widened the lead.

Kim broke a 1-1 tie with a solo homer in the fourth inning, The Korea Times reported. He added a sacrifice fly in the sixth before hitting a two-run homer in the eighth to make it 5-1.

Tigers manager Lee Bum-ho said Kim's performance demonstrated his ability to reshape a game, according to the newspaper. Lee also stressed the importance of winning a postseason opener and said he was satisfied with the team's play.

Twins manager Youm Kyoung-youb said his team had prepared to face Kim but its pitchers missed their intended locations. Kim capitalized on those mistakes, Youm said, crediting the slugger for homering on pitches that were still difficult to drive out.

LG also missed an opportunity in the sixth inning, when it had two runners on and no outs with the middle of its lineup due up. Youm said the team's leading hitters failed to deliver with runners in scoring position.

Youm said missed scoring chances could shift momentum to the opponent. In the opener, LG's unproductive sixth inning was followed by Kim's sacrifice fly and, two innings later, his second homer.