'Is this a team?' 8-home run, 23-run blowout loss, Song Sung-moon was different: 'First MLB home run, bullet-like double' [SD Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

The San Diego Padres suffered a shocking blowout loss. They lost control of the game from the early innings and ultimately could not prevent a crushing defeat.

On the 2nd (Korean time), San Diego suffered a 3-23 defeat against the Chicago Cubs in an MLB away game held at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Starting pitcher Walker Buehler, who had won two games without a loss in June, was shaken from the start of the game. In the bottom of the 1st with one out and runners on first and third, a pitch to Seiya Suzuki was inside, allowing a three-run home run (13th). In the 2nd inning, he also gave up a solo home run (14th) to Dansby Swanson.

In the 3rd, he allowed two hits and two walks, giving up one run, and then bowed his head after surrendering a three-run home run (15th) to Swanson.

Kyle Hart took over from the 5th inning, but he could not quell the Cubs' hot hitting. He was hit by a solo home run (6th) from Michael Conforto and a three-run home run (19th) from Pete Crow-Armstrong.

In the 6th, he also gave up a two-run home run (7th) to Conforto. From the 7th, catcher Rodolfo Duran took the mound, effectively signaling the game was lost. Although he retired the side in order in the bottom of the 7th even with pitches clocked at 70 mph (112.6 km/h), he allowed five consecutive baserunners in the bottom of the 8th and then surrendered Swanson's third home run of the day (16th). Michael Bush also hit a solo home run (11th), scoring the 23rd run.

While the team suffered a painful defeat, Song Sung-moon (30), who started at third base as the ninth batter, showed exceptional form.

With the team trailing 0-4, Song led off the bottom of the 3rd against Cubs starter Colin Rea. He powerfully pulled a 92.7 mph (149.2 km/h) four-seam fastball low and inside, resulting in a double. The exit velocity of the hit reached 109.3 mph (175.9 km/h). Song then advanced to third base on a balk by the opposing pitcher, but failed to score as no follow-up hits came through.

In his second at-bat of the bottom of the 5th, with the score now 0-9, Song unleashed his power. The first pitch, a 94.1 mph (151.4 km/h) four-seam fastball, was over the middle of the plate, and Song swung without hesitation. The ball, exiting at 107.7 mph (173.3 km/h), had a launch angle of only 20 degrees but rocketed like a bullet and cleared the right-field wall. This was Song's first career home run in the Big Leagues.

After Song's home run, consecutive doubles by Manny Machado and Franmil Reyes added another run, but that was all. A triple by Samad Taylor in the 8th was followed by a sacrifice fly from Miguel Andujar, but it was San Diego's final run of the day.

Song, who had returned on a fly ball to left field in the 6th, ended the game with a groundout to the shortstop with two outs and a runner on third in the 8th, finishing 2-for-4.

Song, whose extra-base hits had been limited to two doubles through June, hit two extra-base hits in a single day. His batting average jumped vertically from 0.214 to 0.233 (14 hits in 60 at-bats), while his on-base percentage and slugging percentage rose from 0.323 and 0.250 to 0.333 and 0.333, respectively. His OPS (on-base plus slugging) also reached 0.666.

The Cubs, second in the National League Central with a record of 49 wins and 38 losses, extended their winning streak to five games and held their position, while San Diego (43 wins, 42 losses) fell to a five-game losing streak, tying for second place in the National League West.

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*This content was translated by AI.