*This content was translated by AI.
Lee Jung-hoo (28, San Francisco Giants) continuously hit the ball hard but could only manage one hit and two hits. However, the team celebrated a victory over defending champion Dodgers.
On the 12th (Korea time), Lee Jung-hoo started as the leadoff right fielder against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, USA, in a 2026 MLB away game. He went 5-for-1 with one run scored, leading the team to a 7-3 victory.
Lee Jung-hoo's season batting average dropped slightly from 0.270 to 0.268 (153 at-bats, 41 hits), while his on-base percentage remained at 0.313. His slugging percentage fell from 0.385 to 0.379. His OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) was 0.692.
San Francisco's lineup was arranged as follows: Lee Jung-hoo (right fielder), Luis Arraez (second baseman), Casey Schmidt (first baseman), Rafah Devers (designated hitter), Elliott Ramos (left fielder), Willy Adames (shortstop), Matt Chapman (third baseman), Harrison Bader (center fielder), and Jesus Rodriguez (catcher). Trevor McDonald started on the mound.
The Dodgers countered with Shohei Ohtani (designated hitter), Mookie Betts (shortstop), Freddie Freeman (first baseman), Kyle Tucker (right fielder), Will Smith (catcher), Max Muncy (third baseman), Andy Pages (center fielder), Thoska Hernandez (left fielder), and Kim Hye-seong (second baseman). Starting pitcher for the Dodgers was Sasaki Roki.
Lee Jung-hoo faced bad luck from the first inning. As the leadoff batter, he hit a four-seam fastball from Sasaki, clocked at 97.7 mph (157.2 km/h), high and outside, with a clean swing. The resulting hard hit, clocked at 96.7 mph (155.6 km/h), was caught by Hernandez with a sliding catch, stealing the hit.
The first inning ended 0-0, but San Francisco scored first in the second inning. Leadoff batter Devers smashed Sasaki's splitter over the left-center field wall for a solo home run (his fifth of the season).
Sasaki then allowed a hit to Ramos but retired Adames, Chapman, and Bader in succession with three strikeouts to end the inning.
In the top of the third inning with no outs and a runner on first, Lee Jung-hoo returned to the plate. After a full-count battle, he swung and missed at an outside splitter for a strikeout. Sasaki then allowed a hit to Arraez and a hit-by-pitch to Schmidt but retired Devers and Ramos on ground balls, preventing further runs.
In the bottom of the third inning, after Hernandez's double to second base, Kim Hye-seong came to bat. He swung at the first pitch, a sinker outside, but hit a ground ball to the third baseman. Ohtani then hit a ground ball to the infield, and Betts struck out swinging, failing to score.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Dodgers finally took the lead. Freeman, Tucker, and Smith hit three consecutive hits to create a bases-loaded, no-out situation. Muncy then hit a single to right field to tie the game. Following Pages' double play to the shortstop, the runner from third base scored to take the lead. Kim Hye-seong struck out swinging at a slider low and inside with two outs and runners on first and third.
A tight battle unfolded. In the fifth inning, Lee Jung-hoo and the San Francisco lineup were retired in order on a ground ball to the shortstop. The Dodgers also failed to score, and the game moved to the sixth inning. Sasaki suddenly lost control, allowing consecutive hits to Schmidt and Devers, and a two-run double to Ramos before being replaced. The Dodgers brought in Blake Traynen to escape the danger.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Dodgers tied the game with a solo home run by Muncy to left-center field, his 11th of the season. With one out, Hernandez hit a single, prompting the Dodgers to switch pitchers to Matt Geiger. Facing a left-handed pitcher, the Dodgers replaced Kim Hye-seong with Miguel Rojas but failed to add any runs.
Instead, San Francisco scored in the top of the seventh inning. After Rodriguez struck out against the new pitcher Alex Vesia, Lee Jung-hoo did not miss the first pitch, a four-seam fastball clocked at 91.7 mph (147.6 km/h), and hit a hard ball at 100.3 mph (161.4 km/h) for a single to right field.
Lee Jung-hoo sparked the rally. Arraez and Schmidt hit consecutive singles, and Devers drew a walk, allowing Lee Jung-hoo to score on a bases-loaded walk. The score was 4-3 in favor of San Francisco. Will Klein entered the game and struck out Ramos, but Adames hit a two-run single, shifting the momentum.
In the eighth inning with one out and a runner on third, Lee Jung-hoo came to bat again and faced bad luck once more. He hit a Jack Drayer's first-pitch curveball for a hard hit at 104.3 mph (167.9 km/h), but the ball was caught by the first baseman's glove, resulting in a fielder's choice as Bader was out at home.
Although it was a game the Dodgers could not afford to give up until the end, San Francisco extended their lead in the top of the ninth inning. After consecutive walks to Schmidt, Wyatt Mills, and Ramos, Adames hit a two-run single, and Chapman drew a bases-loaded walk, widening the score to 8-3. With one out and bases loaded, Rodriguez hit a ground ball that scored another run, giving Lee Jung-hoo another chance. Mills' sweeper hit Lee Jung-hoo on the body for a hit-by-pitch, giving him his second hit.
San Francisco secured a two-game winning streak, improving to 17 wins and 24 losses, maintaining fourth place in the National League West. Meanwhile, the Dodgers suffered a three-game losing streak, falling to 24 wins and 17 losses, remaining in second place in their division.
Kim Hye-seong, who went 0-for-2, saw his batting average drop from 0.289 to 0.282. His on-base percentage and slugging percentage also fell from 0.353 and 0.395 to 0.345 and 0.385, respectively. His OPS was 0.730.
San Francisco starter McDonald pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing 9 hits (1 home run), 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts, while giving up 3 earned runs.
Dodgers starter Sasaki pitched 5 innings, allowing 6 hits (1 home run), 1 walk, and 5 strikeouts, while giving up 3 earned runs before being pulled in the sixth inning. His ERA dropped slightly from 5.97 to 5.88, but he still left behind a performance that fell short of expectations.
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*This content was translated by AI.
