'What if he can't even bunt?' Lee Jung-hoo goes 0-for-4 in four at-bats, causing his .300 batting average to crumble once again! Team also loses in extra-inning thriller [SF Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

Lee Jung-hoo (28, San Francisco Giants) remained hitless for the second consecutive day.

On the 10th (Korean time), Lee started at the leadoff spot and played right field in the visiting game against the Detroit Tigers at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California, U.S., during the 2026 Major League Baseball (MLB) regular season. He recorded four at-bats with no hits and two strikeouts.

The opposing starting pitcher was Detroit's right-hander Troy Melton (26). Even though Melton is a rookie with an ERA in the low single digits, Lee endured a string of powerless at-bats.

In the bottom of the first inning, Lee struck out on three pitches against Melton. He failed to time two cutters that were thrown inside. On the third pitch, a splitter that broke away outside, he swung and missed helplessly, ending his turn with a strikeout.

Melton also pitched inside in the bottom of the third inning. Lee watched a 98 mph four-seam fastball before enduring two consecutive cutters and sliders. The fifth pitch, another four-seamer barely sent to the outfield, flew toward the center fielder's glove.

Lee struggled again against Melton's diverse repertoire in the bottom of the sixth inning. Although Melton threw many pitches with slightly erratic control, Lee appeared to be holding his ground by selecting well-placed pitches. However, when Melton lifted a slider on the sixth pitch, it was caught as a fly ball to right field, and Lee ultimately failed to get a hit off Melton.

In his final at-bat, Lee faced left-hander Drew Sommerz. In the bottom of the eighth inning with no outs and runners on first and second, Lee repeatedly attempted sacrifice bunts. All attempts failed, and he eventually swung and missed at a 95.5 mph sinker on the fourth pitch to end his game.

As a result, Lee's season batting average dropped from .301 to .298, causing his .300 batting average to collapse. His OPS (on-base plus slugging) also fell to 0.774, far below the 0.8 mark.

The San Francisco Giants also lost in a tense extra-inning game after a powerless lineup. Starting pitcher Logan Webb delivered a dominant start with eight innings pitched, allowing four hits, one walk, two strikeouts, and one earned run (a starter's dominant performance is defined as eight or more innings with one or fewer earned runs). However, opposing starter Melton pitched six innings, allowing four hits, one walk, five strikeouts, and one unearned run. The Giants' lineup managed only scattered seven hits in total.

The first run belonged to the visiting Detroit team. In the top of the sixth inning, Jack McKinstry reached base with a double to center field. Kevin McGonigle followed with a single to left field, creating a bases-empty situation with runners on first and third. Glaber Torres grounded into a double play, but by then the runner from third had scored, breaking the 0-0 tie.

San Francisco quickly tied the game. In the bottom of the seventh inning, leadoff batter Rafah El Debus reached base with a single to left field. Osbelvis Vasquez grounded out to shortstop, eliminating the lead runner and surviving. Vasquez then stole second base and advanced to third on a throwing error by the opposing team, making up for his earlier disappointment. Drew Gilbert then hit a sharply bouncing grounder that Detroit's third baseman failed to field, tying the game at 1-1.

The tightly contested match was decided in the 10th inning. With a runner on second base in the extra-inning tiebreaker situation in the top of the 10th, Hao Yu Lee hit a single to left field. Spencer Tokelson followed with a double to center field, creating a bases-empty situation with runners on first and third. When Max Clark grounded out, Hao Yu scored, giving Detroit a 3-1 lead.

Despite having a runner on second base, San Francisco lost after three consecutive batters struck out against Troy Holton.

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*This content was translated by AI.