'Lee Jung-hoo-Kim Ha-seong Season First Showdown' SF-ATL, Rain-Postponed Game to Be Played as De Facto Doubleheader on the 18th

*This content was translated by AI.

The first major league matchup of the season between Lee Jung-hoo (28, San Francisco Giants) and Kim Ha-seong (30, Atlanta Braves), both former Kiwoom Heroes teammates, was delayed to the following day due to relentless rain.

On the 17th (Korean time), the 2026 Major League Baseball (MLB) season opener between the San Francisco Giants and Atlanta Braves, held at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia, was declared a suspended game due to rain.

The game was halted just before the bottom of the second inning when Atlanta was at bat. According to an announcement by the Atlanta club, officials waited for the rain to stop, but determined that continuing the game under normal conditions was no longer feasible. As a result, both teams will play a suspended resumption game followed by a regular game on the 18th at the same venue, effectively creating a doubleheader schedule. At the time of the suspension, San Francisco led 3-2.

In fact, today's game drew significant interest from Korean baseball fans. This is because Lee Jung-hoo and Kim Ha-seong, who were close senior-junior teammates while sharing the same Kiwoom Heroes uniform in the past KBO League, are now facing off as starters with different uniforms, serving as key hitters and infielders for their respective teams. On this day, Lee Jung-hoo was listed as the Giants' fifth hitter and right fielder, while Kim Ha-seong was listed as the Braves' ninth hitter and shortstop, both appearing in the lineup.

Lee Jung-hoo's bat successfully seized the initiative. Lee Jung-hoo stepped up to the plate in the top of the first inning with one out and bases loaded. After working the opposing pitcher, Lee hit a deep fly ball to center field, allowing the runner on third base to score and give his team the lead. This hit was recorded as a sacrifice fly, contributing to Lee Jung-hoo's season batting average and adding to his RBI total.

San Francisco built on Lee Jung-hoo's lead-off RBI to score three runs by the second inning, taking a 3-2 lead, but the momentum was abruptly cut short by a sudden downpour.

The game will resume at 3 a.m. Korean time on the 18th, with the situation frozen as it was. The regular game scheduled for the 18th will proceed as planned at 8:15 a.m. Admission for the night game will be allowed approximately one hour after the suspended game is fully concluded, and separate tickets are required for both games. Fans' attention is focused on how the "Korean Derby" between Lee Jung-hoo and Kim Ha-seong, temporarily halted by rain, will conclude.

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*This content was translated by AI.