The Kia Tigers are the champions of South Korean baseball in 2017.

The Tigers defeated the Doosan Bears 7-6 on Monday to take the Korean Series in five games, collecting their first Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) championship since 2009 and their 11th overall.

The Tigers, based in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, are now undefeated in 11 Korean Series appearances.

The Tigers lost the opening game of this best-of-seven series last Wednesday, but reeled off four consecutive victories, including the last three on the road at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul.

Third baseman Lee Bum-ho blasted a grand slam off Doosan starter Dustin Nippert to key the five-run third inning, and the Tigers tacked on two more runs in the sixth before fending off a furious late charge by the Bears for the nail-biting win.


Left-hander Yang Hyeon-jong, who tossed a complete game shutout in Game 2, pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth to record the save. (Yonhap)