Lee Jung-hoo of the San Francisco Giants extended his hitting streak to nine games as the team faced the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park on Wednesday. Batting third in the lineup, the centerfielder went 2-for-4 and scored a run. His season batting average increased from .257 to .270.
Lee achieved his 20th hit in just 18 games since his MLB debut, setting a new record for the fewest games played among South Korean hitters having played in Major League Baseball, surpassing the previous mark set by 11 other Korean players.
Miami Marlins’ Trevor Roger, a left-handed pitcher, started the game. Giants manager Bob Melvin opted for eight right-handed hitters in the lineup along with Lee, a left-handed batter. Lee initially struggled against Rogers, lining out to third base in his first at-bat of the first inning and striking out swinging in his second at-bat of the fourth inning.
However, in the sixth inning, Lee came through with an infield single that put runners on first and second with no outs, ultimately leading to Rogers being pulled from the game. In the eighth inning, Lee led off with a single to left field against right-handed pitcher Anthony Bender, just out of the shortstop's reach. Lee scored later in the inning with the help of his teammates. San Francisco secured a 3-1 victory, winning the three-game series 2-1.
Heon-Jae Lee uni@donga.com
