Samsung Lions beat KT Wiz in Game 3 to take 2-1 series lead

The Samsung Lions moved a step closer to the Korean Series title Friday, defeating the KT Wiz to raise the prospect of their first championship in 12 years.

Samsung beat KT 5-1 in Game 3 of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO Postseason Korean Series — a best-of-seven — at Samsung Lions Park in Daegu, powered by a strong outing from starter Ariel Jurado and timely hitting from the lineup.

Having dropped Game 1 before winning Games 2 and 3 in succession, Samsung now leads the series 2-1. Historical precedent favors the Lions: in past Korean Series matchups, teams that won Game 3 after splitting the first two games went on to claim the title 16 of 18 times, an 88.9 percent success rate.

Samsung has won the Korean Series eight times overall, most recently in 2014, and has not captured the title since.

KT drew first blood. Leadoff batter Kim Min-hyeok reached on a double down the right-field line in the top of the first, and Sam Hilliard drove him home with a two-out double to center field.

Samsung responded immediately. With one out and runners on first and second in the bottom of the first, Choi Hyung-woo laced an RBI single to left to tie the game at 1-1.

The second inning proved decisive. KT starter So Hyung-jun walked three batters to load the bases with one out, and Samsung took a 2-1 lead on a Kim Seong-yun infield groundout. Ku Ja-wook then crushed a two-RBI triple off the top of the right-field fence to push the lead to 4-1.

Park Seung-gyu put the game away with a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth. With one out and the bases empty, Park sent a drive over the left-field wall off KT's third pitcher, Kim Jeong-un, to make it 5-1.

Jurado threw 108 pitches over seven innings, allowing six hits and one run while striking out six to keep KT's offense in check.

The playoff MVP carried his postseason form into the Korean Series, going 3-0 with a 1.31 ERA across three postseason starts.

KT starter So struck out six over six innings but took the loss after giving up four runs on three hits and five walks. Surrendering five walks in just the first two innings proved particularly costly.

KT outhit Samsung 7-4 but could not convert its scoring opportunities.

KT's Kim Hyun-su appeared in his 109th career postseason game Friday, tying Hong Seong-heun's KBO League record for most postseason appearances.

All 23,550 tickets for Samsung Lions Park sold out Friday. Cumulative postseason attendance this year reached 252,500, extending a sellout streak that has now run 49 consecutive postseason games dating to Game 1 of the 2023 Korean Series. For the Korean Series alone, the streak stands at 24 straight sellouts going back to Game 1 of 2022.

Game 4 between Samsung and KT is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday at the same venue.