The grand slam in the postseason was more like a “victory celebration.” Until last year, a total of 16 postseason grand slamming home runs were hit. And the team all won.
In a short-term game where the fight of momentum is important, a home run can ride the atmosphere, and a grand slam was the surest way to break the opponent’s spirit.
In this year’s wild card, a grand slam also announced victory. Game 1 of the wild card game between the Doosan Bears and the NC Dinos. Seo Ho-cheol hit a come-from-behind grand slam when he was losing 0-3. Since then, it was not a final hit as it was tied, but NC overpowered Doosan 14-9 after a fierce slugging match. Seo Ho-cheol became the 17th postseason grand slam hero, and the “full base home run = victory” seemed to be officially solidified.
Seo Ho-chul was the last winner of the grand slam.
Game 3 of the semi-playoff between SSG Landers and NC at NC Park in Changwon on the 25th. SSG Choi Jung crossed the fence with two outs and a full base in the bottom of the second inning, trailing 1-3. SSG got in the mood, and once again, the law of victory for grand slam seemed to continue. However, SSG lost 6-7, and SSG remained the first case in KBO League history to lose to a postseason grand slam.
The ‘unfortunate grand slam’ broke out once again. The first round of the playoffs between KT Wiz and NC. KT lost 1-9 in the bottom of the ninth inning. After one out, Park Byung-ho attacked NC Kim Si-hoon and took a chance with a double. Kim Joon-tae then turned to a fly ball, but Jung Joon-young’s hit and Moon Sang-chul’s walk made the bases loaded.
KT took out closer Lee Yong-chan’s card, but the allocation team did not miss the first-pitch fastball in the middle and hit it over the fence. In the top of the fourth inning, he was able to take the burden off his mind as he was assigned with the defense that was a bit disappointing. KT started chasing 5-9.
However, the score gap was huge to lead to victory. KT gave up the first game as the follow-up Lee Sang-ho turned to a pitcher fly ball. KT became the team that lost the postseason game despite its second grand slam ever.
Although he couldn’t laugh at the grand slam, KT remembered it as a shot that turned the lethargic atmosphere around and promised the next time. KT manager Lee Kang-chul said, “The batting (was not right in the beginning) began to hit from the fifth inning. “It’s encouraging that a grand slam came out at the last minute.”