'Targeting the 109th-win pitcher': SD's Song Sung-moon hits his second long ball of the season... 'Second in batting average' SF's Lee Jung-hoo goes 0-for-3, batting average 0.327

*This content was translated by AI.

Song Sung-moon (30, San Diego Padres) hit his second long ball of the season. His powerful hitting has raised expectations that he may get more opportunities.

On the 22nd (Korean time), Song started at second base and batted eighth in the visiting game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, USA, in the 2026 Major League Baseball (MLB) season. He recorded one hit in four at-bats with one RBI, hitting a double.

After being called up on April 27, Song hit his first double of the season on May 6 against the San Francisco Giants in his second game. Over the next month, he hit his second long ball and recorded his fifth RBI of the season. His batting average rose slightly from 0.196 to 0.200 (10 hits in 50 at-bats). His on-base percentage dropped from 0.288 to 0.286, but his slugging percentage increased from 0.217 to 0.240, bringing his OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) to 0.526.

In the bottom of the third inning, with the score tied at 0-0, Song led off against Nathan Eovaldi, a veteran pitcher with 109 wins. After watching the first two pitches, Song found himself in a 1-2 count. He attempted to hit an outside splitter but was retired on a grounder to first base.

In the top of the third, San Diego's starting pitcher Lucas Giolito allowed a walk to Kyle Higashioka and a bunt single to Nicky Lopez, then surrendered a three-run home run to Wyatt Langford to the left-field seats. Giolito continued to allow baserunners, eventually facing a bases-loaded, one-out situation. However, he managed to escape further damage by inducing a popout to first base from Ezekiel Duran and a line drive to left field from Alejandro Osuna, avoiding additional runs.

Seizing the opportunity after the crisis, San Diego capitalized in the top of the fourth. With Jackson Merrill's double and Manny Machado's single to left field, they created a bases-empty, one-out, first-and-third situation. Gavin Sheets then hit a single to right field, scoring one run to tie the game. Following a groundout by Will Wagner that created a one-out, second-and-third situation, Zander Bogaerts hit a single to center field, narrowing the deficit to one run.

After a single by Ty France put runners on first and second with one out, Song came to bat for the second time. This time, he took a bold approach at the plate. He swung powerfully at an 89.1 mph (143.4 km/h) cutter inside, and the 87th mph (140 km/h) hit struck the right-field wall, resulting in a double. Song reached second base, but it was regrettable that the runner from first base could not score due to a clean relay play by right fielder Brandon Nimmo. Bogaerts, the runner from second, successfully scored, tying the game at 3-3. Rodolfo Duran's strikeout ended the scoring threat.

In the bottom of the fourth, Giolito faltered again and ultimately surrendered the go-ahead run. With one out, he allowed three consecutive hits to Nicky Lopez, Langford, and Josh Jung, giving Texas a 4-3 lead. Immediately after the run scored, he induced a double play to shortstop from Nimmo, preventing further damage.

In the top of the seventh, Song led off against reliever Peyton Gray, who had changed pitchers. After a 1-1 count, Song hit Gray's changeup, but it resulted in a fly ball to right field.

In the top of the ninth, facing Texas closer Jacob Junis, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Bogaerts hit consecutive singles to create a bases-empty, one-out, first-and-second situation, attempting to tie the game.

However, France was retired on a foul-tip strikeout. Song, with a 2-0 count, boldly attacked an outside sinker, but it resulted in a fly ball to left field. Duran grounded to second base, and the game ended with a 4-3 loss for San Diego.

With a record of 39 wins and 37 losses, San Diego maintained second place in the league, holding a nine-game lead over the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League (NL) West Division. In the wild card race, they sit in fourth place in the NL, just 0.5 games behind the third-place Chicago Cubs.

Lee Jung-hoo (San Francisco) had one walk in a visiting game against the Miami Marlins but went 0-for-3, leaving a sense of disappointment.

Lee Jung-hoo, who ranks second in batting average in the NL, saw his average drop from 0.331 to 0.327 (86 hits in 263 at-bats). Miami's Otto Lopez, who leads the league in batting average, recorded one hit in three at-bats with one RBI, maintaining his average at 0.332.

Starting as the fifth hitter and right fielder, Lee Jung-hoo drew a walk on a straight pitch in the top of the second with one out but remained silent thereafter. He grounded out to center field in the top of the fourth, flew out to right field in the top of the sixth, and flew out to left field in the top of the ninth.

San Francisco also fell to 1-2, suffering their third consecutive loss. They remain in fourth place in the NL West Division.

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*This content was translated by AI.