'This can't be' Lee Jung-hoo '3G 12-at-bat 9-hits explosive surge → rest → 4-at-bat 0-hits silence', yet still manages to maintain .300 batting average

*This content was translated by AI.

Lee Jung-hoo (28, San Francisco Giants), who was recently boasting the best batting form, took a day off and briefly caught his breath.

On the 29th (Korean time), Lee Jung-hoo started as the leadoff hitter and right fielder in an away game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, as part of the 2026 MLB regular season, but went hitless in 4 at-bats.

Above all, Lee Jung-hoo had been on an incredible upward trend. Before this game, he had hit an astounding .750 (9 hits in 12 at-bats) over his previous 3 games. On the 25th against the Miami Marlins, he went 3-for-4 with a home run, and on the 26th against Miami, he went 2-for-3, achieving multi-hit games in two consecutive games. Then on the 27th, he went 4-for-5, displaying historic performance and an astonishing momentum.

However, after taking a day off (28th), he unfortunately went hitless in the first game of the mid-week three-game series against Philadelphia. After finishing this game, Lee Jung-hoo's season statistics stood at 29 games played, .301 batting average (31 hits in 103 at-bats), 2 home runs, 10 RBIs, 13 runs scored, 8 doubles, 1 triple, 8 walks, 15 strikeouts, .345 on-base percentage, .456 slugging percentage, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.801.

On this day, the San Francisco Giants started with right-handed pitcher Tyler Mahle. Before this game, Mahle had a record of 1 win and 3 losses with a 5.26 ERA. The batting order was Lee Jung-hoo (right fielder), Matt Chapman (third baseman), Luis Arraez (second baseman), Kyle Schmidt (designated hitter), Rafah Devers (first baseman), Willy Adames (shortstop), Elliot Ramos (left fielder), Drew Gilbreath (center fielder), and Patrick Bailey (catcher).

In response, the Philadelphia Phillies started with left-handed pitcher Jesus Luzardo. Before this game, Luzardo had a record of 1 win and 3 losses with a 6.91 ERA. The starting lineup consisted of Trea Turner (shortstop), Kyle Schwarber (designated hitter), Bryce Harper (first baseman), Adolis Garcia (right fielder), Brandon Marsh (left fielder), Bryson Stott (second baseman), Alec Bohm (third baseman), Justin Crawford (center fielder), and Rafah Marchen (catcher).

As soon as Lee Jung-hoo appeared as the leadoff hitter in the top of the first inning, he immediately attacked Luzardo's first pitch, but was retired with a line drive to left field. He hit a 95.8 mph (approximately 154.2 km) four-seam fastball that came slightly high and outside the zone from the center, but the ball went straight, which was unfortunate. Still, it was a well-hit ball that clearly struck the center of the bat.

Lee Jung-hoo came to bat for the second time in the bottom of the third inning with two outs and a runner on second base. After watching the first pitch for a strike, Lee Jung-hoo carefully selected two balls. The fourth pitch was also a strike. Then, on the fifth pitch, a sweeper that drifted low and outside, he swung and missed, resulting in a strikeout.

His third at-bat came in the top of the sixth inning with one out and no runners on base. Luzardo was still on the mound. Lee Jung-hoo hit a sweeper that came precisely to the center, but was retired with a ground ball to first base. Later, in the bottom of the ninth inning with one out and no runners on base, Lee Jung-hoo faced left-handed reliever Tim Meza for his fourth and final at-bat. With a 2-2 count, he attacked a 95.7 mph (154 km) sinker in the center on the fifth pitch, but was retired with a ground ball to second base, ultimately going hitless in 4 at-bats.

Meanwhile, San Francisco managed only scattered 2 hits and many strikeouts, ultimately suffering a 0-7 complete defeat. The only hits came from Ramos in the third inning and Arraez in the fourth inning, each recording a double. After Arraez hit a double with one out in the fourth inning, no further hits were produced. San Francisco's starter Mahle took the loss after pitching 5 innings, allowing 6 hits, 3 walks, striking out 3, and giving up 5 earned runs.

In contrast, Luzardo pitched 7 innings, allowing only 2 hits, issuing no walks, striking out 8, and remaining scoreless, earning the win. In the lineup that produced 11 total hits, leadoff hitter Turner was particularly dominant, going 4-for-5 with 1 RBI and 2 runs scored. Harper and Bohm also recorded multi-hit games.

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*This content was translated by AI.