Daegu: The NC Dinos secured a vital 4-1 victory over the Samsung Lions in the 2025 Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) postseason, compelling a second game in the wild card round. The match, which took place at the Daegu Samsung Lions Park, was witnessed by a sellout crowd of 23,680 on Monday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, left-hander Koo Chang-mo delivered six innings of exceptional pitching, conceding only one run. His efforts were supported by a solo home run from his batterymate, Kim Hyung-jun, and two RBIs from cleanup hitter Matt Davidson. The Lions, entering the postseason as the No. 4 seed, can still progress with at least a tie in the upcoming game. Meanwhile, the fifth-seeded Dinos must emerge victorious once more to advance.

The wild card round, introduced in 2015, has only seen the 2024 KT Wiz as a No. 5 seed progress past this stage. The Dinos entered the postseason with momentum, having won their last nine regular-season games and continued their streak with this initial postseason win.

The Dinos initiated scoring with consecutive singles off Lions' starter Ariel Jurado in the first inning, with Davidson securing an RBI. Their lead increased to 2-0 in the second inning, following Kim Whee-jip's groundout that scored Lee Woo-sung. The Dinos extended their lead further in the fifth inning with a solo home run from Kim Hyung-jun and a double from Davidson.

However, Kim Hyung-jun's home run led to an injury, forcing him to exit the game due to a left wrist injury. Earlier, designated hitter Park Kun-woo had also left the game with a right hamstring injury. Despite these setbacks, Koo's performance, coupled with effective relief pitching, limited the Lions to a single run from a solo home run by Lee Sung-gyu.

Dinos manager Lee Ho-joon acknowledged the team's ability to maintain momentum and expressed concerns over Kim Hyung-jun's injury, emphasizing the limited catching options available. The Lions' manager, Park Jin-man, rued missed opportunities against Koo's pitching and emphasized the need for improved strategies in the subsequent game.

The Lions are set to rely on their ace, Won Tae-in, for the next game. He boasts a 12-4 regular-season record with a 3.24 ERA and has been successful against the Dinos this year. The Dinos will counter with left-hander Logan Allen, who has a 7-12 record and a 4.53 ERA.