"I've never hit a triple in my life" — Diaz was surprised, but it turned out he had done so in MLB and the Dominican Republic → "A shocking sprint after 3 years"

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

"It feels like the first time ever, to the point where I wondered if I had ever hit a triple in my life."

The third-year foreign player in the KBO League laughed in surprise, as if he could not believe it himself. However, it was merely a memory that even he had completely forgotten; it turned out that he had a history of hitting triples in Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Dominican Republic winter league. A rare triple, which had not come for nearly three years, erupted on the most decisive stage of all: the Korea Series.

The star of the moment is Samsung Lions foreign hitter Lewin Diaz (30). Diaz started as the No. 5 hitter and first baseman in the second game of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO Korea Series against the KT Wiz, held at Suwon KT Wiz Park on the 4th, and contributed to the team's 3-2 victory in the 12th inning of extra innings by smashing a precious lead-off RBI triple in the top of the second inning.

The rare scene unfolded during Samsung's offense in the top of the second inning. Leadoff hitter Choi Hyeong-woo opened the scoring with a double down the right-field line, attacking the fourth pitch from an unfavorable count of one ball and two strikes. Diaz, who came to bat with no outs and a runner on second base in scoring position, swung his bat swiftly. After calmly watching the first-pitch ball, he struck the second pitch sharply.

The ball, hit squarely by the center of the bat, flew toward the outfield wall. KT right fielder Choi Won-jun's attempt to catch it failed, and runner Choi Hyeong-woo on second base reached home comfortably. Meanwhile, Diaz's pace as a batter-runner was no ordinary sight.

After rounding first base and reaching second, Diaz did not stop but charged toward third. Despite his large frame, which exceeds 190 cm in height, he sprinted at full speed and finally slid into the third-base bag. The call was a comfortable safe.

Fans watching from the stands and the broadcast crew all let out gasps. Diaz, who had not hit a single triple during his time in the KBO League, completed his first triple on the Korean stage in three seasons with his legs, giving Samsung a 1-0 lead. Although additional scoring was thwarted when Diaz, who was running home on Ryu Ji-hyuk's shortstop grounder, was tagged out after a video review, the body-slamming, spirited sprint by the large center-field hitter instantly lifted the dugout atmosphere.

After the game, when Diaz entered the official player-of-the-game interview room and was asked about the triple in the second inning, he burst into hearty laughter. "Honestly, it feels like the first time ever, to the point where I wondered if I had ever hit a triple in my entire baseball career," Diaz said.

However, contrary to Diaz's memory, his professional career was not entirely devoid of triples. He has recorded exactly one triple in 112 career MLB games. On September 13, 2021, while playing for the Miami Marlins, he came on as a pinch hitter in an away game against the Atlanta Braves and hit a triple against Max Fried (now with the New York Yankees). After recording another in the 2023-2024 Dominican Republic winter league, he had not hit a triple for nearly three years. The rare record, which even he had likely forgotten, was surprisingly replicated after three years.

Reflecting cheerfully on his aggressive baserunning at the time, Diaz said, "I hit the ball and looked to the outfield, and I saw the ball rolling near the base of the fence. In that moment, my only thought was, 'I have to get to third no matter which leg I use.' It wasn't about the triple itself being my priority; rather, I took the risk and ran with the sole thought of getting one more base for the team. I am truly relieved and feel great that I somehow survived at third."

On this day, Diaz hit a single, a double, and a triple in succession, leaving only a home run to complete a cycle. There has never been a cycle in KBO postseason history. Regarding his desire for the historic feat, he said, "My teammates in the dugout kept shouting, 'Just one more home run and it's a cycle,'" but added, "However, I tried not to let that thought enter my head. The moment you hold such a thought, your hands go out on bad pitches and your swing falls apart. Because the game was flowing so tightly, I focused solely on getting on base and keeping the chance alive for the team."

Regarding the moment when a critical defensive error put his team in danger, he conveyed a sincere apology to the manager. "I thought I was playing a near-perfect game offensively and defensively today, but I made an error at that crucial moment and brought the team to the brink of defeat," Diaz said. "The guilt was overwhelming. As soon as the game ended, I went straight to Manager Park Jin-man and bowed 90 degrees to apologize." He also credited his teammates, saying, "The relief pitchers held on until the end, which allowed us to win. I am truly relieved that we won."

Diaz shook up the field by hitting a triple after nearly three years, a feat he had barely remembered. His spirit of setting aside personal record-chasing and not holding back his body for the sake of the team is injecting hot energy into Samsung's Korea Series championship race.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original