'5G consecutive hitless' Song Sung-moon shone with stellar shortstop defense... SD's comeback foundation

*This content was translated by AI.

Song Sung-moon (30, San Diego Padres) has gone silent for five consecutive games. Despite struggling with a batting average in the early .200s, he once again demonstrated why he is being used through his defense.

On the 27th (Korea time), Song started at shortstop and batted ninth in the visiting game against the Miami Marlins at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, USA, finishing with four at-bats and no hits.

Song had hit a season-high three hits in a single game against the Kansas City Royals on the 20th, but since the the 21st game against the Atlanta Braves, he has gone hitless for five consecutive games.

His seasonal batting average dropped from 0.221 to 0.212 (99 at-bats, 21 hits). His on-base percentage and slugging percentage also fell from 0.321 and 0.295 to 0.310 and 0.283, respectively. His OPS (on-base plus slugging) became 0.593.

In the bottom of the third inning, Song led off his first at-bat against Miami right-handed starter Jansen Junk. With a 2-2 count, he was caught looking at a 94 mph (151.3 km/h) four-seam fastball that grazed the inner edge of the strike zone and struck out.

Leading off again in the bottom of the fifth inning, Song swung and missed at Junk's 95 mph (152.9 km/h) high fastball for a strikeout. In the bottom of the seventh, he grounded out to the first baseman with no runners on base, and in the eighth, he flew out to the catcher on a foul pop-up.

However, his defense was completely different. Especially after giving up an early run due to a throwing error by the catcher in the bottom of the second inning, and then allowing a sacrifice fly and a home run to fall behind 0-3, Song's consecutive stellar defensive plays shone even brighter.

With the team trailing 1-3, Song smoothly handled a hard-hit ball from Eriberto Hernandez in the bottom of the sixth that reached 96.8 mph (155.8 km/h). In the bottom of the seventh with one out and a runner on second base, he fielded a hit by Otto Lopez and quickly threw to third base. Although it was not a force-out situation and carried risk, his perfect judgment eliminated the preceding runner.

This laid the foundation for a dramatic comeback. In the top of the eighth inning, after Jake Cronenworth's hit, Manny Machado launched a two-run home run to left-center field to tie the game, followed by Jackson Merrill hitting a go-ahead solo home run. San Diego extended their lead by one more run and took the field defensively in the bottom of the ninth.

With one out and no runners on base, Song cleanly fielded a ground ball from Javier Sanoja traveling at 97 mph (156.1 km/h) and made a running throw to first for an out, allowing San Diego to sweep the series.

With three consecutive wins, San Diego improved to 53-53, maintaining third place in the National League West, two games behind second-place Arizona Diamondbacks. In the wild card race, they remain in seventh place, but their third-place standing keeps hope alive for a playoff berth against Arizona.

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*This content was translated by AI.