'3 Hits → First Extra-Base Hit → This Time, a Golden RBI': Kim Ha-seong Revives, Neutralizes 'Korean Killer' Sanchez as Atlanta Moves Toward the Playoffs

*This content was translated by AI.

Kim Ha-seong (31, Atlanta Braves), who has been struggling severely with hitting after returning from injury, is making a full comeback and contributing to the team's pursuit of the postseason and beyond.

On the 5th (Korean time), Kim Ha-seong started at shortstop batting ninth in an away game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, recording two at-bats with no hits and one RBI.

While Kim Ha-seong's batting average had stagnated at 0.081 until last month, he has turned things around since September. After hitting three hits against the Washington Nationals on the 2nd, Kim recorded his first extra-base hit of the season with a double in the game on the 3rd and also drew a walk to complete a multi-on-base performance.

Starting for the third consecutive day, Kim Ha-seong delivered a crucial RBI against the opposing ace, leading his team to a 5-2 victory.

In the bottom of the second inning with Atlanta leading 1-0 and one out with runners on first and third, Kim stepped up to the plate for his first at-bat. He faced Christopher Sanchez, whom South Korea struggled against in the second round of the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), a tournament from which Kim was unable to participate due to injury.

Sanchez adopted an aggressive pitching approach against Kim Ha-seong. With a 1-1 count, Kim attempted a squeeze bunt, but the ball fouled off. Facing a difficult situation, Kim attacked a changeup that drifted low and outside on the fourth pitch. The ball headed toward the third baseman but was sufficient to bring in the runner from third base. Atlanta extended its lead to 2-0, relieving pressure on starting pitcher Chris Sale. This marked Kim's first RBI since his walk-off hit against the Los Angeles Dodgers on the 27th of last month, nine days later.

With two outs and a runner on second, Ronald Acuña Jr. added an RBI single to take a 3-0 lead.

In the fourth inning, with two outs and a runner on first, Kim grounded out to the third baseman on a low slider. Although Sale surrendered one run each in the second and fourth innings, he pitched effectively through six innings with seven strikeouts and only two earned runs, maintaining a 3-2 lead before the bullpen took over from the seventh inning onward.

Kim Ha-seong was substituted for Michael Harris II at the start of the bottom of the seventh inning. While Harris grounded out to an infielder, the Braves' lineup extended their lead in the bottom of the eighth when Mauricio Dubón hit a two-run home run (his 11th of the season) following a walk by Michael Yastrzemski, sealing the victory at 5-2.

Kim Ha-seong's seasonal batting average dropped from 0.120 to 0.117 (94 at-bats, 11 hits), and his on-base percentage and slugging percentage also declined from 0.214 and 0.130 to 0.210 and 0.128, respectively. However, he started all three games in September, contributing significantly and leading the team to a two-game winning streak.

Atlanta's chances of reaching the postseason are growing. With an 84-57 record, Atlanta has firmly maintained its lead in the National League East by extending its gap over second-place Philadelphia to five games.

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*This content was translated by AI.