'Who's playing baseball alone, Lee Jung-hoo?' Former KBO reverse-export legend faces off in a one-man show with '2 hits, 3 times on base, 1 RBI'! "He hit half of the team's hits by himself..."

*This content was translated by AI.

San Francisco Giants outfielder Lee Jung-hoo (28) recorded three times on base, including a multi-hit performance after ten days. While he accounted for half of San Francisco's four hits with two hits himself, the team suffered a decisive loss.

On the 30th (Korean time), Lee Jung-hoo started as the cleanup hitter and right fielder in the first game of a doubleheader against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California, U.S., recording two hits in three at-bats, one walk, and one RBI.

This marks Lee Jung-hoo's second multi-hit performance in a single game since the the 20th game against the Cleveland Guardians, ten days later. Thanks to this multi-hit effort, his season batting average rose from 0.289 to 0.291 (467 at-bats, 136 hits).

Today, Lee Jung-hoo faced Arizona's right-handed starting pitcher Merrill Kelly, who previously played for the SK Wyverns (now SSG Landers) in the KBO League before returning to the big leagues and writing a reverse-export legend.

Arizona set its starting lineup with Idemaro Vargas (second baseman), Corbin Carroll (right fielder), Gabriel Moreno (catcher), Geraldo Perdomo (shortstop), Nolan Arenado (designated hitter), Tim Tawa (first baseman), Jose Fernandez (third baseman), Jordan Lyles (center fielder), and Ryan Woldschmidt (left fielder).

In response, San Francisco set its starting lineup with Drew Gilbreth (center fielder), Rafah El Devers (first baseman), Bryce Eldridge (designated hitter), Lee Jung-hoo (right fielder), Turner Hill (left fielder), Drew Cabano (catcher), Shay Whitcomb (third baseman), Nate Periman (second baseman), and Christian Kose (shortstop). Matt Wilkinson was the starting pitcher.

Lee Jung-hoo entered his first at-bat in the bottom of the first inning with the score tied 0-0, two outs, and a runner on first base. He made solid contact on Kelly's low sinker but hit it directly toward center field, leaving him disappointed.

However, Lee Jung-hoo's bat grew hot from his second at-bat onward. In the bottom of the fourth inning with one out and a runner on first, he targeted Kelly's fourth pitch—a high fastball inside—and drove a sharp line drive down the left-field line for an infield hit. Lee Jung-hoo reached second base when Turner Hill fielded an infield grounder, but no run scored due to a lack of follow-up hits.

Lee Jung-hoo stepped up to the plate again in the bottom of the sixth inning with two outs and no runners on base. Facing Kelly once more, he calmly drew a walk, achieving his second time on base for the game. However, Hill retired him with a ground ball to second base, preventing him from scoring at home.

Lee Jung-hoo's second hit of the day was a sacrifice fly. In the bottom of the eighth inning, with San Francisco trailing 0-5, the Giants had runners on first and second after Rafah El Devers doubled with two outs and Bryce Eldridge drew a walk. Lee Jung-hoo, stepping up to the plate, connected with Arizona's reliever Taylor Clark's first-pitch changeup for a line drive down the left-field line, resulting in a sacrifice fly that scored Devers from third base, giving San Francisco its first run of the game.

Despite Lee Jung-hoo's valiant efforts, San Francisco suffered a 1-7 loss. The tight 0-0 deadlock was broken in the top of the seventh inning. After the San Francisco mound struggled with three walks, Arizona's pinch hitter Las Nutba hit a grand slam to right field off a reliever named Makobi. The Giants then surrendered one run in the top of the eighth and two runs in the top of the ninth, ultimately falling on their knees.

Arizona starter Kelly pitched seven innings, allowing two hits and four walks while striking out seven batters without surrendering any runs, securing his ninth win (12 losses) of the season. The hero of the winning run, Nutba, led his team to victory with a clutch grand slam in the late innings.

San Francisco, with 55 wins and 81 losses, fell into a two-game losing streak while maintaining fourth place in the National League West Division. Arizona, on the other hand, achieved a two-game winning streak, sitting in second place in the same division with a record of 73 wins and 64 losses.

San Francisco will play the second game of the doubleheader against Arizona at 11:05 AM local time. Lee Jung-hoo is scheduled to start again as the cleanup hitter in the second game, aiming to continue his consecutive-game hit streak.

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*This content was translated by AI.