Ah! Kim Ha-seong, in the bottom of the 9th with two outs and bases loaded, hit a 'heart-stopping' line drive straight at the pitcher—but still sprinted all the way to first base, even diving with his body... Ultimately, amidst bad luck, he endured 'three consecutive games of silence' with 3G.

*This content was translated by AI.

Atlanta Braves' key infielder Kim Ha-seong (31) sadly remained hitless, missing a crucial walk-off opportunity in the bottom of the 9th with two outs and bases loaded.

On the 17th (Korean time), Kim Ha-seong started at shortstop and batted seventh in the home game against the Boston Red Sox at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, as part of the 2026 Major League Baseball (MLB) regular season. He went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in four at-bats.

After this game, Kim Ha-seong's season statistics stand at 5 games played, a batting average of 0.059 (1 hit in 17 at-bats), 1 run scored, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts, an on-base percentage of 0.111, a slugging percentage of 0.059, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.170.

For this game, Atlanta set its starting lineup as follows: designated hitter Drake Baldwin, second baseman Aj Albis, first baseman Matt Olson, third baseman Austin Riley, left fielder Duvon Mauricio, center fielder Michael Harris, shortstop Kim Ha-seong, catcher Sandy Leon, and right fielder Jose Azocar. The starting pitcher was Bryce Elder.

In response, Boston arranged its starting lineup as follows: left fielder Jaron Duran, catcher Mickey Gasper, right fielder William Abreu, first baseman Wilson Contreras, designated hitter Yoshida Masataka, center fielder Sedan Rafahella, second baseman Marcelo Mayer, shortstop Andrew Monasterio, and third baseman Caleb Durbin. The starting pitcher was Payton Tolli.

Kim Ha-seong was called up to the big leagues on the 12th. He recorded a walk without a hit in the game against the Chicago Cubs on the 13th, then got his first hit of the season in his second game on the 14th. However, he remained hitless in three consecutive games—the game against the Cubs on the 15th, the game against Boston on the 16th, and today's game—causing his batting average to drop.

In the bottom of the 2nd inning, with Atlanta leading 1-0 and no runners on base with two outs, Kim Ha-seong came to bat for the first time. With a 1-2 count, he swung and missed at the fourth pitch, a high four-seam fastball clocked at 155 km/h, and was struck out.

In the bottom of the 5th inning, with Atlanta and Boston tied 1-1, Kim Ha-seong led off the inning. This time, with a 1-2 count, he fouled off the fourth pitch, then took the fifth pitch, a curveball on the outside corner, for a looking strikeout, hanging his head in disappointment.

His third at-bat came in the bottom of the 7th inning, with Atlanta leading 2-1. There were two outs and no runners on base. He fouled off the first pitch, took the second pitch for a strike, and then swung at the third pitch, but it was caught by the right fielder for an out, leaving him with a sense of regret.

In the bottom of the 8th inning with one out and a runner on second base, Atlanta allowed a go-ahead two-run home run to Contreras.

Thus, in the bottom of the 9th inning with Atlanta trailing 2-3, Atlanta seized a golden opportunity. The Boston pitcher was 'fireballer' Aroldis Chapman. After Riley reached base on a shortstop error by the opposing team with two outs, he successfully stole second base. Duvon and Harris drew consecutive straight walks, putting the bases loaded for Atlanta. Kim Ha-seong then stepped up to the plate for his fourth at-bat of the game.

The first pitch was a 94.8 mph (152.6 km/h) four-seam fastball for a strike. The second pitch was a 94.5 mph (152 km/h) sinker that was a ball on the outside corner, but Kim Ha-seong fouled it off. Then came the third pitch: a 98.1 mph (157.9 km/h) sinker that brushed the outside zone. Kim Ha-seong made contact. But a heart-stopping scene unfolded. The ball struck Chapman's leg directly and then deflected toward the first base side.

Chapman fell after being hit by the ball but quickly got back up and began running toward the rolling ball. At the same time, Kim Ha-seong sprinted all out toward first base. Chapman then grabbed the ball with his left hand and attempted a throw. Kim Ha-seong, showing his fighting spirit with a headfirst slide, was called out by a hair's breadth. The game ended. Kim Ha-seong, with a face full of regret, knelt down and struck his own knee.

Ultimately, Atlanta lost to Boston 2-3, recording their 15th loss (31 wins) of the season. Atlanta's offense was stifled by the opposing pitcher's strong performance, managing only four scattered hits. Elder, who allowed the go-ahead home run in the 8th inning, took the loss, marking his second loss of the season (4 wins). Although the team lost, they firmly maintained their first-place position in the National League East Division. Meanwhile, Boston, the last-place team in the American League East Division, saw starting pitcher Tolli succeed in earning his second win (2 losses) with a strong two-out, two-run performance over eight innings. Boston snapped their losing streak at two games and improved to 19 wins and 26 losses.

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*This content was translated by AI.