Lions to start homegrown ace in bid to clinch Korean Series title

DAEGU — The Samsung Lions will send their homegrown ace Won Tae-in to the mound in their first crack at clinching the 2026 Korean Series title Sunday. The Lions lead the KT Wiz 3-1 in the best-of-seven battle, following a 10-5 win in Game 4 on Saturday at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in the southeastern city of Daegu. The fifth game, set for 2 p.m. Sunday in Daegu, will be the first elimination game of the series. Won will make his first start for the Lions this postseason after making three relief appearances in the previous series against the Kia Tigers and another in Game 2 of the Korean Series on Wednesday. Won, a career starter, was thrust into the bullpen role after the Lions' All-Star closer Kim Jae-yoon suffered an upper body injury in October that knocked him out of the postseason. In that game, Won gave up two hits and one unearned run in 1 2/3 innings. With his pregame routine as a starting pitcher all thrown out of whack, Won admitted his body is not in optimal form. "But my goal is to pitch as well as I can regardless of the situation," Won said Saturday. "My...