'July batting average 0.244 → the 0.245 → the 0.083' Lee Jung-hoo, 5 at-bats with no hits 'only starting pitcher to remain silent'... .280 also in jeopardy [SF Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

Lee Jung-hoo (28, San Francisco Giants), whose batting average soared to 0.338 midway through the season, has now dropped to 0.280. Concerns are growing that his slump from July and August will continue into September as well.

On the 5th (Korea time), Lee Jung-hoo started at fifth spot in the lineup as right fielder against the New York Mets in a Major League Baseball (MLB) road game held at Citi Field in New York City, New York State, recording five at-bats with no hits and two strikeouts.

Lee Jung-hoo, who saw his batting average fall to 0.244 in July and 0.245 in August, managed just one hit in four games played in September, coming up with 17 at-bats. His batting average has dropped to its lowest since June at 0.280 (492 at-bats, 138 hits). On-base percentage and slugging percentage also fell from 0.326 and 0.413 to 0.323 and 0.409, respectively. OPS (on-base plus slugging) stands at 0.732.

While the team managed 12 hits overall, Lee Jung-hoo was the only starting batter to remain silent that day.

In the bottom of the first inning, the Giants fell behind after giving up a three-run home run to Mark Vientos. In the top of the second, Lee Jung-hoo led off against opposing starter Nolan MacClain but grounded out to the second baseman.

In the bottom of the second, the Mets extended their lead to 0-7 with a solo home run by Francisco Alvarez, a walk by Nick Morabito, a balk and an error by a fielder, and a two-run home run (15th) by Bo Bichette.

In the top of the third inning, the San Francisco lineup also found some momentum. With one out, Christian Yelich drew a walk, Drew Gilbert recorded a hit, and Rafah Devers drove in two runs with a double, narrowing the gap. With two outs, Turner Hill drew a walk, setting up Lee Jung-hoo at the plate with runners on first and second.

After taking a ball on the first pitch, fouling off the second, and swinging and missing at the third, Lee found himself in an unfavorable 1-2 count. He then fouled off three consecutive slow-breaking pitches on pitches four through six, but was retired again with a groundout to the second baseman on a cutter on the seventh pitch.

In the top of the fifth inning, Devers doubled, Bryce Eldridge drew a walk, and Turner Hill singled, creating a rare bases-loaded opportunity with no outs. However, Lee watched a hanbok-style sinker go by untouched, then fouled off a low inside curve on the second pitch before freezing on a high-zone 96.2 mph (154.8 km/h) sinker on the third pitch, resulting in a looking strikeout.

The Mets further extended their lead in the bottom of the sixth inning, starting with a walk by Jared Young, who previously played for the Doosan Bears, followed by a two-run home run (16th) by Francisco Lindor. In the top of the seventh, after Jon Cox singled and Bryce Eldridge drew a walk, Lee stepped up to the plate again with one out and runners on first and second following Turner Hill's RBI single. Facing left-handed pitcher Jeffrey Yan, Lee found himself in an unfavorable 0-2 count. He fouled off the third pitch, took a ball on the fourth, but swung and missed at a 97.9 mph (157.6 km/h) four-seam fastball on the fifth pitch, ending with a strikeout.

In the top of the eighth inning, with two outs, consecutive hits by Yelich and Cox were followed by Devers' three-run home run (33rd), cutting the deficit to three runs. In the bottom of the eighth, the Giants surrendered a solo home run (15th) to Alvarez.

In the top of the ninth inning, Lee Jung-hoo led off against Kodai Senga, attempting to hit a 96.3 mph (154.9 km/h) four-seam fastball on the first pitch, but the ball was caught by left fielder Juan Soto's glove.

Subsequent batters failed to score additional runs, and the Giants lost the game.

With a two-game losing streak, San Francisco finished with 58 wins and 84 losses, placing fourth in the National League West Division. The gap to last-place Colorado Rockies has narrowed to three games.

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*This content was translated by AI.