'Finally' Lee Jung-hoo hits a home run → storming steals → score → walk → another score! Fought hard in his return as starter, despite team defeat

*This content was translated by AI.

Lee Jung-hoo (28, San Francisco Giants) returned to the starting lineup after three games, proving his skills with a hit, a stolen base, and two runs scored.

On the 28th (Korean time), Lee Jung-hoo started as the fifth hitter and right fielder in the home game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California, USA, during the 2026 Major League Baseball (MLB) regular season. He recorded one hit in three at-bats, one walk, two runs scored, and one stolen base.

After finishing today's game, Lee Jung-hoo's statistics for this season stand at 123 games played, a batting average of 0.289 (464 at-bats, 134 hits), nine home runs, 27 doubles, four triples, 47 RBIs, 61 runs scored, 22 walks, 49 strikeouts, 11 stolen bases (one failed attempt), an on-base percentage of 0.328, a slugging percentage of 0.422, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.750.

Lee Jung-hoo's start came three games after his last appearance as a starter against the Cincinnati Reds on the 26th. In that game on the 26th, he started as the third hitter and designated hitter, recording one hit in three at-bats, one walk, and one stolen base. In the first inning with no outs and runners on first and second, he was hit by a pitch from opposing starter Brady Singer near his elbow and reached base via the hit-by-pitch. Nevertheless, Lee Jung-hoo played through to the end of the game.

However, due to the aftermath of being hit by the pitch, Lee Jung-hoo sat out the next day's game against Cincinnati on the 27th. In the Arizona game on the 28th, he was excluded from the starting lineup but entered as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning, recording one walk and one run scored. Then, returning to the starting lineup for the first time in three games today, he hit a home run.

Today, the San Francisco Giants set their starting lineup as follows: Jon Cox (center field), Rafah El Devers (first base), Bryce Eldridge (designated hitter), Andrew Kizner (catcher), Lee Jung-hoo (right field), Shay Whitcomb (third base), Turner Hill (left field), Christian Coz (shortstop), and Osleivis Basabe (second base). The starting pitcher was Blade Tidwell. The right-handed pitcher Tidwell had no wins or losses this season before this game, with an ERA of 3.58.

In response, Arizona set their starting lineup as follows: Las Nutba (left field), Corbin Carroll (right field), Gabriel Moreno (designated hitter), Geraldo Perdomo (shortstop), Tim Tawa (first base), Jose Fernandez (third base), James McCann (catcher), Ildevaro Vargas (second base), and Jordan Roller (center field). The starting pitcher was left-handed pitcher Cole Drake. Before this game, Drake had one loss and an ERA of 5.40 this season.

Lee Jung-hoo's hit came immediately in his first at-bat. With a ball count of 0-1, he attacked the second pitch and recorded a two-hit infield single that slipped past the second baseman. Afterward, during Whitcomb's subsequent at-bat, Lee Jung-hoo made a storming run and easily stole second base. This was Lee Jung-hoo's 11th stolen base of the season. Then, when Whitcomb hit a ground ball to first base, Lee Jung-hoo, who had settled on third base, scored on Hill's sacrifice fly to right field.

Lee Jung-hoo batted as the leadoff hitter in the fourth inning for his second at-bat of the game. With a ball count of 1-2, he hit the fifth pitch but was retired on a ground ball to second base. In the fifth inning, with two outs and runners on first and second, he stepped up for his third at-bat but was retired on a ground ball to shortstop, leaving him disappointed. In the bottom of the eighth inning, after five pitches in the count, Lee Jung-hoo walked. Taking advantage of an opposing fielder's error during a pickoff attempt, Lee Jung-hoo reached second base. Then, when Whitcomb hit a ground ball to the shortstop, Lee Jung-hoo took advantage of another defensive error and reached third base. Finally, on Hill's ground ball to first base by the following batter, Lee Jung-hoo crossed home plate to score his second run of the day.

Meanwhile, San Francisco lost 6-10 today and could not continue their upward momentum from yesterday's victory. The team managed only five scattered hits. With a record of 55 wins and 80 losses, they currently rank fourth in the National League West Division. On the other hand, Arizona avenged their previous loss to San Francisco, recording 72 wins and 65 losses.

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*This content was translated by AI.