'With' Kim Hye-seong's fantasy dynamic play 'Lake Defense' explodes! Even an undefeated pitcher showed respect. Why was he suddenly substituted in the 7th inning despite the one-man show of 'multi-hit + RBI + run'?

*This content was translated by AI.

LA Dodgers' Kim Hye-seong (27) displayed a fantastic lake defense based on his strong arm. He was on a roll, achieving multi-hits and even scoring a run, but when the opposing team brought in a left-handed reliever in the late innings, he was immediately substituted out.

Kim Hye-seong started at shortstop and batted eighth in the regular-season away game against the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2026 Major League Baseball (MLB) season, held at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, on the 4th (Korean time). He went 2-for-2 with one RBI and one run scored. The Dodgers secured a pleasant 4-1 victory.

After this game, Kim Hye-seong's season statistics stand at 24 games played, with a batting average of 0.317 (60 at-bats, 19 hits), one home run, three doubles, eight RBIs, eight runs scored, seven walks, 13 strikeouts, five stolen bases (one failed), an on-base percentage of 0.382, a slugging percentage of 0.417, and an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.799.

The Dodgers constructed their starting lineup with Shohei Ohtani (designated hitter), Freddie Freeman (first baseman), Teoscar Hernandez (left fielder), Kyle Tucker (right fielder), Max Muncy (third baseman), Dalton Rushing (catcher), Andy Pages (center fielder), Kim Hye-seong (shortstop), and Alex Freeland (second baseman). The starting pitcher was Justin Robleski.

In response, St. Louis set their starting lineup with JJ Wetherholt (second baseman), Ivan Herrera (designated hitter), Jordan Walker (right fielder), Alec Burleson (first baseman), Masyn Winn (shortstop), Jose Fermin (left fielder), Nathan Church (center fielder), Pedro Pages (catcher), and Ramon Urias (third baseman). The starting pitcher was Dustin May.

Kim Hye-seong stepped up to the plate for the first time in the bottom of the 2nd inning with the Dodgers leading 1-0, one out, and runners on second and third. Kim Hye-seong drew a ball on the first pitch against starting pitcher May. Then, on the second pitch, he pulled a sweeper at 86.1 mph located on the inner zone, connecting it cleanly into a two-run single to left field. During this play, runner Muncy crossed home plate, putting the Dodgers ahead 2-0.

Kim Hye-seong came to the plate again as the leadoff hitter in the bottom of the 5th inning while the Dodgers still led 2-0. After recording a foul ball and a swing-and-miss, he calmly extended the at-bat to a full count. On the sixth pitch, he technically drove a 97.7 mph four-seam fastball that was slightly over the middle, resulting in an infield hit that deflected off the shortstop. Later, when Ohtani hit an infield grounder, Kim Hye-seong reached second base. He then scored when Freeman hit a two-run single to center field.

Most importantly, Kim Hye-seong's true value shone in the defensive play in the bottom of the 5th. With two outs and no runners on base, Herrera hit the ball toward deep shortstop territory. The third baseman was already in a position where he could not reach it. Kim Hye-seong fielded the ball, immediately jumped, attempted a turn, and threw the ball toward first base. The throw arrived with a low trajectory and no bounce, landing directly into Freeman's glove who was guarding the base. Although the initial throw was slightly off-target, Freeman quickly retouched the base to complete the out. It was a fantastic running throw displayed in a dynamic play. Even the pitcher, Robleski, who witnessed this, pointed at Kim Hye-seong and showed his respect.

However, in the top of the 7th inning, when St. Louis brought left-handed reliever Justin Bruhill to the mound, Kim Hye-seong lost his chance to bat as the leadoff hitter and was substituted for pinch-hitter Miguel Rojas. This was a regrettable moment given his excellent momentum in the game that day.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers successfully took the early lead by scoring two runs in the bottom of the 2nd. Leadoff hitter Tucker reached base with a double to left field, followed by Muncy drawing a walk. Although Rushing struck out, Pages hit a two-run single to left field, and Kim Hye-seong hit a two-run single to center-left field, making the score 2-0. Then, in the 5th inning with two outs and a runner on second, Freeman's two-run single to center field extended the lead to 3-0.

St. Louis managed to score one run in the 8th inning. After two outs, Walker reached base on a walk, and then Burleson hit a two-run single to center field, bringing the score to 3-1. However, St. Louis's comeback ended there. Instead, the Dodgers added another run in the top of the 9th to seal the game. Leadoff hitter Pages reached base on a shortstop error and successfully stole second base. Later, when Rojas hit a ground ball to the shortstop, he reached third base. Then, when Cole came to bat, he hit a two-run single to left field, scoring the runner. Ultimately, the Dodgers won 4-1.

Robleski pitched six innings, allowing six hits and one walk while remaining scoreless, securing his fifth win of the season. Robleski has yet to suffer a loss this season. In the 9th inning, Tanner Scott took the mound, pitching one inning with two strikeouts while remaining scoreless, earning his second save of the season. In the batting lineup that produced 10 hits, Ohtani went 0-for-3 with one walk, while Freeman and Kim Hye-seong both delivered multi-hit performances. The Dodgers snapped their four-game losing streak, marking 21 wins and 13 losses, and maintained their first-place position in the National League West Division.

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*This content was translated by AI.