“I was confident when I got the hit, so I played hard.”
“I was confident when I got the hit, so I played hard.”
Lee Jung-hoo (26, San Francisco Giants) started in center field and went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored in the Giants’ 5-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first game of a four-game series at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California, USA, on April 19. He recorded a hit in his first at-bat. With the score tied 0-0 in the top of the first inning, he faced Arizona starter Ryne Nelson and saw a first-pitch strike before taking a second-pitch 83-mph (133-kilometer) changeup for an infield single.
Lee has now hit safely in 10 consecutive games, dating back to Aug. 8 against the San Diego Padres. He tied Kang Jeong-ho (retired) and Kim Hyun-soo (LG) for the most consecutive hits in a debut season in the Korean Major Leagues.
He used his quick feet to get the hit.
The ball was slightly deflected and rolled slowly toward shortstop Jayson Pearson, who sprinted to first base. It was fast enough that Pearson had to throw out the throw.
Lee’s hitting instincts continued. In the third inning, with the score tied at 0-0, Lee had runners on first and second. On a 1B-1S pitch, he drove a 90.9-mph (146-kilometer) sinker from left-hander Logan Allen to center field. 안전놀이터 추천 The ball hit the pitcher’s glove and headed toward the shortstop, where Peterson threw it away for an infield single. It was his second consecutive multi-hit game, following a day earlier against the Miami Marlins.
After reaching on a fielder’s choice with two outs in the fifth inning with a 1-0 lead, Lee reached base on a fielder’s choice with two outs in the eighth inning with the score still 1-0. Veteran second baseman Ketel Marte made the mistake of not fielding the grounder because he was unaware of Lee’s quick feet. “Marte appears to have been overwhelmed by Lee’s speed,” the U.S. broadcasters analyzed.
After Wade Jr. singled and Soler reached on a fielder’s choice, Lee stole second and advanced to third on a grounder to shortstop. He then scored on pinch-hitter Wilmer Flores’ RBI double.
With the multi-hit game, Lee improved his season batting average to 2.8-2.5, up from 2.7-2.7.
Along with hitting and running the bases, Lee has also been mesmerizing Oracle Park on defense. In the top of the sixth inning, he chased down Jake McCarthy’s hard-hit line drive to left-center field and made a spectacular catch at the warning track. The home fans at Oracle Park cheered for “Jung-Hoo Lee,” and starter Logan Webb, who was on the mound, applauded Lee for his heroics. The local broadcasters were also impressed with Lee’s super catch.
After the game, the local media focused on Lee’s catch. NBC Sports Bay Area, a local media organization in San Francisco, California, USA, visited the San Francisco clubhouse after the game and asked Lee about the secret of his super catch in the sixth inning.
“I had a good start, and I was confident that I could catch it at the right moment, so I ran hard,” Lee said, “I probably wouldn’t have gone for it even if I wasn’t sure.”
Webb pitched seven innings of two-hit ball with one walk and five strikeouts, backed by a parade of hitters, including Lee. It was his second win of the season.
“When all the pitchers are pitching well, not just Logan, I feel like I need to focus more in the outfield. I just feel like I need to help out more,” said Lee, showing his team-first mentality.