The game between the SSG Landers and the Samsung Lions in Daegu on August 18th had fans reeling, as a historic milestone and an unbelievable comeback collided within a single inning. Just as Samsung was savoring the joy of writing a new chapter in KBO League history, a brutal turn of events saw their bullpen collapse in the top of the 9th, effectively handing the victory over.

It was a monumental day, as Samsung veteran Choi Hyoung-woo achieved the phenomenal feat of reaching 2,700 career hits and 4,600 total bases, both KBO firsts. Choi celebrated the milestone himself by hitting a solo home run in the bottom of the 8th to break a 1-1 tie, and the team also reached 53,000 all-time hits, a first in franchise history. Additionally, SSG's rookie starter Kim Min-jun held the Samsung lineup to just one run over six innings, marking his fifth consecutive quality start—tying the historic rookie record set by Kim Soo-kyung in 1998 and Je Chun-mo in 2002.

However, the tides of fortune shifted in the final moments. With Samsung leading 2-1 in the top of the 9th, closer Kim Jae-yoon struggled mightily. A critical throwing error during a bunt play, a wild pitch, and a series of hits and walks led to four runs in an instant. Despite Samsung’s desperate attempts to narrow the gap in the bottom of the 9th, they could not prevent a 4-5 comeback loss, leaving the veteran's legendary achievement and the club’s milestone as a bittersweet memory. It was a stark reminder of the cruelty of those last three outs—often considered the hardest to get in baseball.

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