Kim Ha-seong, hits walk-off the next day; Yamamoto also falls! Two consecutive hits and second stolen base in return to starting rotation after 20 days [Kim Ha-seong Live]

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After ending a streak of bitter misfortune with a walk-off hit, Kim Ha-seong (31, Atlanta Braves) took down LA Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto (28) just one day later.

On the 28th (Korea time), Kim Ha-seong started at shortstop and batted ninth in the Dodgers' home game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, during the 2026 MLB regular season. This marks his first start since the the 8th game against the New York Yankees, a span of 20 days.

He immediately responded with a hit when given the chance. In the bottom of the third inning, Kim Ha-seong recorded a hit off Dodgers starter Yamamoto, driving a low-splitter clocked at 92.4 mph (about 148.7 km/h) into a single to left field. The exit velocity was 105 mph (about 169 km/h). Following his walk-off hit as a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the ninth the previous day, this was his second consecutive game with a hit. After reaching base, he also successfully stole second base, recording his second stolen base of the season. Kim Ha-seong's season batting average rose from 0.078 to 0.090 after going 1-for-1.

Most significantly, the opponent was Yamamoto. As of this game, Yamamoto had recorded 12 wins and 7 losses in 24 games with an ERA of 2.61, 151⅔ innings pitched, 145 strikeouts, and a WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) of 0.90 for the Dodgers. He had also been dominant over Atlanta in his previous two appearances, pitching 10 scoreless innings.

This consecutive hit streak is especially welcome for Kim Ha-seong. Until the day before, his batting average had dropped into the .600s and he was in a 27-game hitless streak. However, on the 27th against the Dodgers, with the score tied 5-5 in the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs and runners on first and second, he crushed Tanner Scott's 97.2 mph (about 156.4 km/h) four-seam fastball for a walk-off RBI single to left field. The exit velocity was 103 mph (about 165.8 km/h).

Just one day later, with another starting opportunity, Kim Ha-seong added another hit against Yamamoto, continuing his comeback momentum. In the bottom of the first inning, Atlanta's Drake Baldwin connected on Yamamoto's first-pitch splitter for a solo home run over the fence to take an early lead. As of the bottom of the fourth inning, Atlanta leads 1-0.

Atlanta's lineup today featured: Drake Baldwin (catcher), A.J. Albies (second baseman), Matt Olson (first baseman), Mauricio Dubón (left fielder), Michael Harris II (center fielder), Ray Thomas (designated hitter), Mike Yastrzemski (right fielder), Austin Riley (third baseman), and Kim Ha-seong (shortstop). The starting pitcher was Chris Sale.

The Dodgers countered with the following lineup: Shohei Ohtani (designated hitter), Tommy Edman (center fielder), Mookie Betts (shortstop), Freddie Freeman (first baseman), Teoscar Hernández (left fielder), Miguel Rojas (second baseman), Alex Colome (right fielder), Enrique Hernández (third baseman), and Ben Rortvedt (catcher). The starting pitcher was Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

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*This content was translated by AI.