Kim Seong-yoon's Return Sparks Samsung Lions to End Seven-Game Losing Skid
SEOUL — The Samsung Lions snapped their season-worst seven-game losing streak on Tuesday, beating the Doosan Bears 5-4 at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, thanks to the timely return of their best contact hitter, Kim Seong-yoon.
Kim, who had been sidelined since April 7 with an oblique injury, was inserted straight into the starting lineup by manager Park Jin-man. The 27-year-old outfielder responded with a 2-for-4 performance, driving in two runs and scoring twice. His tiebreaking single in the top of the 10th inning put the Lions ahead 4-3, and he later stole second base before coming around to score an insurance run.
"I missed several games last year due to injuries, and I really wanted to play all 144 games this season," Kim said after the game, according to Yonhap. "It was frustrating to have to miss time again this year. I am glad I was able to play at least a small part in snapping our losing streak today."
Before the game, Park had expressed confidence in Kim's readiness, telling reporters, "We could certainly use some spark in our lineup. Seong-yoon is fully healthy, and he has had no issues in practice."
The Lions had struggled mightily during their seven-game slide, scoring just 14 runs — the fewest in the KBO over that span — and being shut out twice. They also stranded a league-high 70 runners on base during that stretch.
Kim's return was crucial for a team that, despite its recent woes, remains above average offensively for the season. The Lions boast the third-highest on-base plus slugging percentage in the league at .770, according to Yonhap.
Last year, Kim finished third in the KBO with a .331 batting average and led the league with nine triples. He also ranked in the top 10 in hits, doubles, steals, and runs scored. Before his injury this season, he was batting .385 through seven games with only one strikeout.
Park attributed the team's recent slump partly to mental fatigue. "I think the guys are feeling some pressure. Our problems seem to be mostly mental," he said. "But once the floodgates open, then we will start scoring a bunch of runs at once. More players will return from injuries, and things won't get much worse than this."
The Lions are also awaiting the return of All-Stars Koo Ja-wook (rib) and Kim Young-woong (hamstring), which could further bolster the lineup.
Despite his heroics, Kim remained modest about his contribution, saying, "I don't really have a big role on the team. I am happy to help the team any small way I can." He also noted that he was not entirely satisfied with his swing, particularly on his go-ahead single, but the result spoke for itself.