The KBO playoffs kicked off with a wild opening game between the fourth-seeded LG Twins and the fifth-seeded Kiwoom Heroes. The KBO postseason format is unusual compared to MLB. The top seed, NC Dinos, gets a bye straight to the final, while the second and third seeds get byes to later rounds. The Wild Card round adds another twist: it’s a best-of-three where the higher seed starts with a 1-0 lead. That meant the Twins needed just one win to advance, while the Heroes had to sweep both games.
The game went deep into extras, tied 2-2 in the bottom of the 13th. If it had remained tied after 15, the Twins would have advanced due to their seeding advantage. The Heroes managed to take a 3-2 lead on a wild run scored after some sloppy defense and a missed throw to second. That relief was short-lived. The Twins answered with a weak grounder that turned into a tying hit thanks to a fall by the shortstop and hesitation by the defense. The Twins then loaded the bases, setting up a dramatic finish. On a 2-0 pitch, pinch hitter Min Jae Shin, who had only 27 career hits, delivered a walk-off single to right.
The Twins celebrated hard, soaking in their improbable comeback. They now move on to face the Doosan Bears in the next round. The bracket may confuse outsiders, but the drama on the field delivers.