On September 20, 2025, the Kia Tigers clawed back from a 4-0 deficit to stun the NC Dinos 5-4 in a gripping KBO League battle at Gwangju Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, South Korea. With 17,739 fans on hand for a 5:00 PM start under partly cloudy skies, the Tigers relied on back-to-back home runs from Wisdom and Choi Hyoung-woo to tie the game, then erupted in the ninth with four walks—including Park Chan-ho’s bases-loaded game-winner—to snatch the series opener. Cho Sang-woo picked up the win with a scoreless 2/3 of an inning in relief, while Lim Ji-min absorbed the loss after a disastrous ninth that featured three free passes and two earned runs in just 1/3 of an inning. The 3-hour, 35-minute affair was a pitcher’s duel turned chaos, with Kia’s patience at the plate (8 walks) outlasting NC’s early aggression. The Tigers moved to 72-62-1, bolstering their wild card hopes, while the Dinos slipped to 69-66, teetering on the playoff edge. Below is a full breakdown of player performances and pivotal moments, verified from trusted sources including Sofascore, Flashscore, MyKBO Stats, and the official KBO box score as of November 12, 2025.
Game Overview
- Matchup: Kia Tigers vs NC Dinos Match Player Stats
- Final Score: Kia Tigers 5, NC Dinos 4
- Date: September 20, 2025 (5:00 PM KST)
- Location: Gwangju Kia Champions Field, Gwangju, South Korea
- Attendance: 17,739
- Time of Game: 3 hours, 35 minutes
- Weather: 68°F (20°C), partly cloudy, wind 5 MPH NE
- Umpires: HP – Lee Yong-hyuk, 1B – Na Gwang-nam, 2B – Kim Jung-guk, 3B – Chun Il-soo
- Winning Pitcher: Cho Sang-woo (Tigers, 4-2, 2.45 ERA)
- Losing Pitcher: Lim Ji-min (Dinos, 3-4, 4.12 ERA)
- Deciding Play: Park Chan-ho’s bases-loaded walk (9th inning, 1 out)
- Home Runs: Wisdom (2nd inning, 2-run off Kim Nok-won), Choi Hyoung-woo (4th inning, solo off Kim Nok-won)
- Key Moment: In the ninth, trailing 4-3, Park Jae-hyun singled to open the frame, followed by three straight walks to Yoon Do-hyun, Choi Hyoung-woo, and Wisdom—forcing in the tying run—before Chan-ho’s full-count walk plated the winner.
This game launched a make-or-break three-game series for both clubs, with Kia ultimately taking it 2-1. The Tigers now hold a commanding 112-98 all-time edge over the Dinos since NC’s 2013 debut, including four wins in the last six meetings of 2025.
NC Dinos: Offensive Highlights
The Dinos notched 8 hits and 4 runs across 35 at-bats, drawing 4 walks and fanning 5 times for a .229 batting average and .314 on-base percentage. They built a commanding 4-0 lead by the third but managed just one hit over the final three innings, going 1-for-4 with runners in scoring position and stranding 6 baserunners.
Kwon Hui-dong (#36, RF) was the offensive catalyst, going a flawless 3-for-3 with 2 runs scored, including a leadoff double in the third that ignited a two-run rally; he capped his night with a walk before pinch-hitter Oh Young-soo (#34) doubled in the ninth. Cheon Jae-hwan (#23, RF) went 1-for-4 with 1 run and an RBI single in the first that scored Kwon to open the scoring. Park Kun-woo (#37, DH) contributed 1-for-4 with an RBI double in the third, a walk, a stolen base, and a run scored. Davidson (#24, 1B) drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the third but finished 0-for-2. Kim Whee-jip (#44, 3B) batted .500 with 2-for-4, including an RBI double in the sixth that reclaimed a 4-3 lead after Seo Ho-cheol (#5, 2B) was hit by a pitch, stole second, and scored; Whee-jip added another double in the eighth that went for naught. Lee Woo-sung (#55, LF), Kim Hyung-jun (#25, C), and Kim Han-byul (#68, SS) all went hitless; Han-byul was replaced by pinch-hitter Kim Ju-won (#7, 0-for-1) and later Do Tae-hun (#16, 0-for-1) at shortstop.
NC’s early surge came on 4 walks, a hit-by-pitch, and two stolen bases, but their bats quieted after the sixth, managing no extra-base hits beyond doubles.
NC Dinos: Pitching Breakdown
NC pitchers yielded 5 runs (4 earned) on 6 hits and 8 walks in 9 innings, striking out 11 but issuing too many free passes. Starter Kim Nok-won (#22) labored through 3 1/3 innings, surrendering 3 earned runs on 4 hits—including Kia’s two home runs—walking 2 and fanning 4 for a 42 game score. Chun Sa-min (#57) followed with 1 2/3 scoreless frames, no hits, and 2 strikeouts. Kim Young-kyu (#17) tossed a clean inning with 1 hit and 1 walk. Bae Jae-whan (#61) logged a full inning, walking one and striking out one. Kim Jin-ho (#54) delivered a perfect eighth with 2 punchouts. Lim Ji-min (#19) protected a 4-3 lead in the ninth but unraveled, facing four batters, allowing 1 hit, 3 walks, and 2 earned runs in 1/3 of an inning to take the loss. Ha Jun-young (#29) got the final out but walked a batter.
The bullpen walked 8 total—three in the ninth—despite 11 strikeouts, with one unearned run off a Kia error in the third.
Kia Tigers: Offensive Highlights
Kia collected 6 hits and 5 runs on 33 at-bats, drawing 8 walks and striking out 9 times for a .182 average but .400 on-base percentage. They went 1-for-3 with runners in scoring position and erased a 4-0 hole with power and persistence.
Choi Hyoung-woo (#34, DH) was the standout, batting .750 with 3-for-4, a solo home run in the fourth, two doubles, and 2 runs scored. Wisdom (#45, 1B) smashed a 2-run homer in the second—his 33rd of the season—scoring Oh Sun-woo (#56, LF) and finishing 2-for-3 with a double, 1 run, 2 RBI, and a walk. Oh Sun-woo went 1-for-4 with 1 run scored on Wisdom’s blast. Park Jae-hyun (#36, RF) was 0-for-2 but drew 3 walks, including one that loaded the bases in the ninth for an RBI. Park Chan-ho (#1, SS) went 0-for-4 but delivered the walk-off RBI with a bases-loaded free pass in the ninth; he also grounded into a double play in the first. Kim Ho-ryung (#27, CF) was 0-for-2 but walked twice and scored on an error in the sixth. Yoon Do-hyun (#9, 2B), Han Jun-su (#55, C), and Park Min (#2, 3B) all went hitless; Han was replaced by pinch-hitter Na Sung-bum (#47, 0-for-1), and Park Min by Kim Sun-bin (#3, 0-for-1) and later Kim Kyu-sung (#14).
Kia’s 2 home runs and 8 walks—including 4 in the ninth—drove all 5 runs, with 9 runners left on base but timely execution in the clutch.
Kia Tigers: Pitching Breakdown
Kia’s staff held NC to 4 runs (3 earned) on 8 hits over 9 innings, striking out 11 and walking just 2. Starter Yang Hyeon-jong (#54) endured 5 1/3 innings, allowing 3 earned runs on 5 hits, walking 2, hitting one batter, and striking out 3 (45 game score), including a wild pitch that scored a run in the sixth. Sung Yeong-tak (#65) tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings with 1 hit, 1 walk, and 1 strikeout. Jeon Sang-hyun (#51) threw a clean seventh with 1 hit. Lee Jun-young (#20) recorded one out in the eighth, allowing 1 hit and striking out one. Cho Sang-woo (#11) earned the win with 2/3 of a scoreless ninth, striking out one.
The bullpen’s 11 strikeouts and 2 walks kept NC off-balance, with one wild pitch contributing to an earned run.
Key Moments
- 1st Inning: Cheon Jae-hwan’s RBI single scored Kwon Hui-dong (double) for 1-0 NC.
- 2nd Inning: Wisdom’s 2-run homer off Kim Nok-won tied it 2-1, scoring Oh Sun-woo.
- 3rd Inning: Kwon’s double, Park Kun-woo’s RBI double, and Davidson’s sac fly made it 3-2 NC; Kun-woo stole second and scored.
- 4th Inning: Choi Hyoung-woo’s solo homer off Nok-won cut it to 3-3; Wisdom’s double later scored on an error for 4-3 NC.
- 6th Inning: Seo Ho-cheol HBP, stole second, scored on Kim Whee-jip’s double for 4-3 NC; Yang’s wild pitch advanced the runner.
- 9th Inning: Park Jae-hyun singled, then three straight walks (to Chan-ho, Do-hyun, Hyoung-woo) forced in 2 runs; Chan-ho’s walk-off RBI walk made it 5-4.
Statistical Notes
NC’s 8 hits came with a .229 average and .314 OBP, scoring 4 runs on 4 walks and a hit-by-pitch but stranding 6. Kia’s 6 hits yielded a .182 average but .400 OBP via 8 walks, with 2 home runs driving 3 runs and 1-for-3 RISP. NC struck out 5 times, Kia 9; Tigers walked 2, Dinos 8. Kia’s 1 error led to an unearned run, while NC played clean. Both teams left 6 on base, but Kia’s ninth-inning patience flipped the script.
Series Context
Kia won the series 2-1, boosting their 72-62-1 record and wild card standing. NC’s 69-66 mark kept them in the final playoff spot by a thread. The Tigers lead the H2H 112-98 since 2013, winning four of six in 2025. Attendance rose 15% from 2024 averages at Champions Field.
Injury Notes
No major injuries for either side; full rosters.
Conclusion
The Kia Tigers’ 5-4 walk-off gem against the NC Dinos on September 20, 2025, was pure drama, with Wisdom’s 2-run homer, Choi Hyoung-woo’s 3-for-4 surge (HR, 2 2B), and Park Chan-ho’s RBI walk erasing a 4-0 hole. Kwon Hui-dong’s perfect 3-for-3 and Kim Whee-jip’s RBI double built NC’s lead, but Lim Ji-min’s ninth-inning woes (3 BB, 2 ER) handed Cho Sang-woo the win. Verified from Sofascore and MyKBO Stats, Kia’s patience (8 BB) and power prevailed in a series opener that kept playoff hopes alive.
For full box score and highlights, visit Sofascore.com, Flashscore.com, or MyKBO.net.
