'Lee Jung-hoo, refreshed and different' Lee Jung-hoo gets another hit, batting average rises to 0.294 '300 mark in sight'... Team wins 1-0 [SF Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

Rest proved to be the best medicine. Lee Jung-hoo (28, San Francisco Giants) hit a long ball in his first game in six days, raising expectations for a return to a .300 batting average.

On the 20th (Korean time), Lee Jung-hoo started as the cleanup hitter and right fielder against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio, recording two hits in four at-bats.

As a result, his season batting average rose from 0.292 to 0.294 (129 hits in 439 at-bats). His on-base percentage and slugging percentage also increased from 0.328 and 0.432 to 0.329 and 0.435, respectively. His OPS (on-base plus slugging) reached 0.764.

In the bottom of the second inning, Lee Jung-hoo was retired with a fly ball to left field against starting pitcher Parker Meis. In his second at-bat in the fourth inning, he contributed to an offensive rally that began with Rafah Devers' double. Following a wild pitch by the opposing team and two outs with runners on third base, Victor Bericoto's RBI single gave San Francisco the lead.

In his next at-bat, Lee Jung-hoo drove a 94.8 mph (152.6 km/h) high four-seam fastball from Meis into a double to left field. This was his first extra-base hit since a home run against the Houston Astros on the 11th, six games later. Although runners were placed on second and third with two outs, Oslevis Vasquez was retired with a fly ball to left field, and no runs scored.

Leading off the seventh inning, Lee Jung-hoo recorded another hit against Meis. With a 1-2 count, he lined a low 86 mph (138.4 km/h) slider into a single to right field.

However, Vasquez was again retired with a fly ball to center field, and Drew Cabana struck out. Hunter Gardis, who replaced Meis, faced Christian Coxe, who swung and missed for a strikeout. No runs were scored in this inning either.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, with San Francisco leading 1-0, Lee Jung-hoo faced pitcher Kayde Smith. Unable to handle a pitch clocked at 101.2 mph (162.9 km/h), he was retired via a swinging strikeout.

Both teams' pitchers delivered outstanding performances. The San Francisco bullpen was on duty. Matt Wilkinson pitched two scoreless innings, followed by Adrian Hauser, who threw five innings allowing four hits and two walks while striking out three batters without conceding any runs, earning the win. Third pitcher Dylan Smith completed two innings to secure the save.

Cleveland starter Meis also delivered an impressive performance, throwing 6⅔ innings with 98 pitches, allowing six hits, no walks, and striking out ten batters while surrendering only one run. However, lacking support from his lineup, he took the loss for the eighth time this season (9 wins).

San Francisco snapped its two-game losing streak, improving to 52 wins and 74 losses, maintaining fourth place in the National League West Division.

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*This content was translated by AI.