Jeon Byung-woo of the Samsung Lions delivered a thrilling grand slam, leading his team to an 8-game winning streak for the first time in 12 years. Starting as the No. 6 hitter and third baseman in a matchup against the LG Twins at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on the 12th, he went 1-for-3 with a walk—his lone hit being a game-changing grand slam.
Samsung scored one run in the first inning, but the bullpen allowed a 1-1 tie in the seventh. They seized a chance in the eighth. Pinch hitter Kim Sung-yoon drew a walk, and after a wild pitch moved him to second with one out, Diaz was intentionally walked. Park Seung-kyu’s weak ground ball rolled along the third-base line for a lucky infield single, loading the bases with two outs. As Jeon Byung-woo stepped to the plate, Samsung fans in the third-base stands chanted “Grand slam!” in support.
With the count at 2-1, Jeon crushed an inside slider over the left-field wall for a grand slam. The Samsung crowd erupted in celebration, and the score became 5-1, effectively sealing the win. This marked Samsung’s first 8-game winning streak since 2014. In the ninth inning with the score 8-1, Jeon came to bat again with the bases loaded and one out. Fans once again called for a grand slam, but this time his fly ball to center field became a sacrifice fly.
After the game, Jeon explained the grand slam situation: “I wasn’t looking for a slider. Lately, when I guessed pitches, the results weren’t good. So I just focused on a fastball, but I reacted well to the slider, and it led to a good outcome. I always watch for pitches on the inner half or middle, but since it was a slider that broke in, I think it worked out well.”
He added about the opportunity: “With two outs and a runner on first, runners gradually advanced to load the bases. I really wanted to produce in the previous at-bat in the seventh with a runner on first and no outs, but I couldn’t. So this time, I was determined to get the job done.”
Fans cheered for a grand slam in both the eighth (two outs, bases loaded) and the ninth (one out, bases loaded). Jeon laughed, saying, “In the eighth, I didn’t hear anything at all. In the ninth, I could hear fans shouting for a grand slam. I tried to aim for it a bit, which made me swing too hard, and that’s why it became a fly ball.”
It was his first grand slam in five years and the third of his career. “Ryu Ji-hyuk hit a grand slam in a game against NC in Changwon, and it was his first. I teased him about it. Now I’m really happy to hit one myself,” Jeon said with a laugh.
Honestly, the bases-loaded opportunities felt burdensome. “To be honest, I really hoped Ja-wook, Diaz, and Hyung-woo would handle it before me. I haven’t had many good memories with the bases loaded lately, so I was honestly a bit worried. I thought, ‘Why is this challenge coming to me again?’” he said with a smile.
Selected by Lotte in the second round (28th overall) of the 2015 rookie draft, Jeon was traded to Kiwoom in April 2020, and then moved to Samsung in the second draft in November 2023. He has been playing as a backup infielder. This season, he has appeared in 31 games with a .287 batting average, 3 home runs, 20 RBIs, and an .866 OPS, filling the gap left by injured third baseman Kim Young-woong.
“I just want to keep working hard and produce good results consistently, and above all, stay healthy without injury,” Jeon said. “About two weeks ago, I felt a bit fatigued, but now I’m feeling better. I noticed my strength was lacking then, but after eating well and resting, I’ve recovered.”
Manager Park Jin-man praised him: “Jeon Byung-woo is becoming an indispensable player for our team. I hope that grand slam in a crucial moment will give him great confidence going forward.”
