'At the moment of contact, I knew it was a home run' Lee Jung-hoo hits career-high in MLB with home runs and multi-hit performance; team allows tying run in bottom of 9th, then loses in extra innings on a gamble [SF Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

Lee Jung-hoo (28, San Francisco Giants) set a new single-season personal record for most home runs since his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut.

On the 11th (Korean time), Lee Jung-hoo started at leadoff hitter and right fielder in the MLB home game against the Houston Astros at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California, U.S., going 2-for-5 with a home run, one RBI, and one run scored.

As a result, his season batting average returned to 0.300 (124 hits in 414 at-bats) from 0.298, while his on-base percentage and slugging percentage rose to 0.335 and 0.447, respectively. His OPS (on-base plus slugging) reached 0.782.

Lee Jung-hoo had gone hitless in the previous two games and struggled early in this contest as well. In the top of the first inning, he allowed a double to Jordan Alvarez, a single to Isaac Paredes, and a sacrifice fly with one RBI to Jose Altuve before stepping up to bat for the first time in the bottom of the first. The ball he hit on the first pitch headed toward the outfield, but shortstop Jeremy Pena made a good catch, and Lee was left out just in time.

The third-inning at-bat was even more disappointing. With one out and a runner on first base, Lee Jung-hoo connected with Hayden Wesneski's second two-seam fastball, but the ball once again headed toward shortstop Pena, who fielded it, stepped on second base, and threw to first to complete a double play.

San Francisco loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth inning thanks to a double by Bryce Eldridge, a walk by Rafah El Debs, and a hit by Osleivis Basabe, then tied the game 1-1 on a sacrifice fly by Drew Gilbert.

Later, in the fifth inning, Lee Jung-hoo gave his team the lead. With two outs and no runners on base, and a 1-0 count, he crushed a 92.5 mph (148.9 km/h) inside two-seam fastball on the second pitch. The ball, traveling at 105.6 mph (169.9 km/h), immediately suggested a home run. It flew far to right field and became a 116-meter (381-foot) go-ahead home run.

This was Lee Jung-hoo's ninth home run of the season, surpassing his eight from last year and marking a career high, while bringing him just one step closer to his first 10-home run season in MLB.

It was a pity that it wasn't a splash hit. Oracle Park is built around McCovey Cove, especially with right field adjacent to the cove. A ball that clears the outfield wall and lands directly in the water without hitting any structure is called a "splash hit," and small boats often patrol the area to retrieve such balls. Lee Jung-hoo's shot did not hit any outfield structures and became an over-the-fence home run, but it struck the McCovey Cove embankment and boundary wall outside the stadium, narrowly missing a splash hit.

San Francisco allowed a 2-2 tie in the top of the seventh when Cam Smith hit a solo home run, but took the lead again in the bottom of the seventh on another go-ahead home run by Gilbert.

Lee Jung-hoo erased the disappointment of missing a splash hit with a multi-hit performance in the bottom of the eighth. Facing left-handed pitcher Steven Okert, he found himself in an 0-2 count but instinctively connected with a slider that broke outside on the fourth pitch, driving a single to left field. However, no runs scored due to subsequent batters failing to deliver.

In the top of the ninth, Dylan Smith entered for San Francisco, allowed a walk to Christian Walker with one out, committed an error, and then gave up a hit to Cam Smith, tying the game 3-3.

San Francisco failed to score in the bottom of the ninth, sending the game into extra innings. Jason Foley entered for the Giants, but another error allowed a runner to reach third base. After walking Ramon Laureano Jr., Foley then gave up a single to Pena that put San Francisco behind. Although he retired Alvarez on an infield fly ball, he surrendered a two-run double to Paredes.

Houston kept Josh Hader in the game for the bottom of the tenth as well. Grant McCray struck out, Christian Yelich grounded out to shortstop, and Lee Jung-hoo also grounded out to shortstop, leaving San Francisco with no chance to rally.

San Francisco fell into a three-game losing streak, taking on its 70th loss (49 wins). They remained in fourth place in the National League West Division, while Houston maintained first place in the American League West Division with 61 wins and 59 losses.

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*This content was translated by AI.