In brief
Despite an 8‑0 lead, KT Wiz’s relievers faltered in Game 1 of the Korean Series, forcing the closing pitcher, Park Yeong‑hyun, into a potential save situation. Park speaks of maintaining routine and self‑confidence, and of how his catcher Han Seung‑taek’s support helped him survive a wild pitch, ultimately sealing an 8‑7 victory over the Samsung Lions.
On Nov. 3, 2026, in Suwon’s KT Wiz Park, Korea’s closer Park Yeong‑hyun earned a dramatic 8‑7 win over the Samsung Lions in Game 1 of the Korean Series, turning a stunned eighth‑inning rout into a save. Though the Wiz came into the game with an 8‑0 lead, several relievers faltered, the Lions scored six back‑to‑back runs, and Park was called to face a loaded base situation.
Park’s preparation was routine: he stretched together with the bullpen and stayed ready for a potential save. “No one can tell what will happen over the course of a game, and so I had gone through all of the usual things that I normally do,” he said afterward, according to Yonhap.
“No one can tell what will happen over the course of a game, and so I had gone through all of the usual things that I normally do.”
The first strike from Park struck out a batter, but his next pitch gave Ryu Ji‑hyuk a bad zone entry, leading to a flyball that would have been a sacrifice if runner Koo Ja‑wook had sprinted home. Because Koo was limping with a hamstring injury, the run stayed on the board, preserving the 8‑6 lead.
After a second out, Park felt confident; he noted, “I was feeling pretty good about myself after the second out…,” but a wild pitch over his head allowed Koo to score the Lions’ seventh run, forcing Park to quickly regroup. “I had to really bear down after that,” he reflected.
Despite the wild pitch, Park brought the inning to a close and was credited with the save that secured the Wiz’s first Korean Series victory. Yonhap’s report emphasizes the mental toughness required at the highest level of Korean baseball, with Park citing both his self‑confidence and his catcher’s support as critical to the turnaround.
