Kim Ha-sung started as the second baseman and first batter in an away match against the LA Dodgers in the 2023 Major League at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, on the 12th and played with one hit, one RBI, and one walk in four at-bats. However, the season's batting average fell slightly from 0.271 to 0.270.
The sense of hitting is lower than when the batting pace reached its peak. In particular, Kim Ha-sung has played only two multi-hit games since September began. Before the game, the monthly performance was only 0.189 in nine games, especially the slugging rate was only 0.189 as the productivity of long balls fell sharply. Since the match against the Toronto Blue Jays on July 21, he seemed to have physical ups and downs amid the strong army, which has started 48 consecutive games so far.
However, Kim Ha-sung recorded one hit in four at-bats against the Houston Astros the previous day 11th, followed by two consecutive hits, and recorded his 35th stolen base of the season. 스포츠토토핫 As a result, if Kim Ha-sung adds three home runs and five steals in the next 17 games, he will be able to look at 20 home runs and 40 steals for the first time in Asian major leaguer history.
The highlight of the game was the performance of lead-off Kim Ha-sung and Mookie Betts. It literally led the attacks of both teams. First, Kim Ha-sung faced Dodgers starter Gavin Stone in his first at-bat as the leadoff hitter in the top of the first inning. Kim Ha-sung got off the strike zone and started the game in a good mood by hitting a 92.5-mile about 148.9km cutter that fell low for the third pitch after filtering out the first and second pitches of Stone.
Kim Ha-sung shined even after the hit. Kim Ha-sung stole the second base when Fernando Tatis Jr. entered the batter's box and prepared a chance to score. 35th stolen base of the season. Tatis Jr. struck out later, but Juan Soto scored a hit toward left field. At this time, Kim Ha-sung, the second baseman, ran past the third base and toward home, creating San Diego's first run.
At the end of the game, San Diego will have only 17 games left until the end of the 2023 regular season, and Kim Ha-sung will record 17 home runs and 35 steals in 141 games. Unlike stolen bases, the home run that cannot be hit is the biggest obstacle, but if Kim Ha-sung adds three home runs and five steals in the remaining 17 games, he will increase the possibility of achieving the first 20 home runs and 40 steals in the Asian major leaguer.
Then Betts also showed a spectacular performance. Betts did not miss San Diego starter Pedro Avila's fourth change-up in his first at-bat in the bottom of the first inning as it headed higher in the strike zone. Betts' batting left the bat and could feel that he headed out of the fence at the same time, leading to a solo home run over the left wall. His 39th home run of the season. Here, Betts made a record. Betts is the third major leaguer of all time and the first Dodgers player to achieve 100 RBIs.
Unlike Betts, who stepped down with a straight hit in his second at-bat, Kim Ha-sung also did his part in the bottom of the second inning, trailing 1-2. Kim Ha-sung once again entered the batter's box with a second and third base chance with no outs made by Matthew Batten and Trent Grisham's double, and this time he hit a ball that missed Stone's body sinker and hit a grounder to second base. At this time, the third baseman stepped home, and Kim Ha-sung exchanged one point for his out count, allowing him to continue the tight flow.
Betts flew like a duck. Betts once again served as a "solver" in the top of the third inning with two outs and a full base chance with the Dodgers leading 2-4. Betts hit the sixth curve of San Diego's changed pitcher Laker, and this time he made a pitch that seemed to go over the middle fence. However, as the crowd snatched the ball even before it crossed the fence, Betts was satisfied with a three-run double instead of the first batter 40 home runs and 100 RBIs.
Kim Ha-sung, who had a perfect score until his second at-bat, hit a grounder to second base in his third at-bat without a runner on one out in the fifth inning and then faced Dodgers' changed pitcher Caleb Ferguson in the top of the sixth inning. A single hit is a winner that can bring in two runners and reverse the flow of the game, but the result was disappointing. Kim Ha-sung was forced into an unfavorable count of 0B-2S by fouling Ferguson's first pitch and letting go of the second pitch. And he put out a bat on the 96-mile about 154.5km high fastball in the third pitch, but he struck out with a swing and a miss.
The disappointment of not taking advantage of the decisive chance immediately made up for the defense. On this day, Kim Ha-sung has been defending well throughout the game, and even at the most important moment, his defense shone. At the bottom of the sixth inning with one out and a runner on second base, facing 7-7, the Dodgers' Freddie Freeman's hit seemed to lead to a hit toward the second base. However, Kim Ha-sung moved quickly, caught Freeman's ball, and sprayed the ball to the first baseman, increasing the out count and tying the second baseman's foot at third base.
Even the strategy was perfect. Kim Ha-sung is the leadoff hitter Grisham in the top of the ninth inning when he faced 7-7When Juss got on base with his poor outfield defense, he tried a sacrifice bunt and sent the runner to third base safely. And this led directly to San Diego's victory. San Diego had a chance to get on base with follow-up hitter Tatis Jr. due to a pitcher's ground ball error, and Soto fired a three-run shot.
The game was a fierce slugfest. San Diego took the lead. San Diego led 1-0 with Soto scoring the first run in the top of the first inning with Kim Ha-sung's hit and steal. But the joy didn't last long. In the bottom of the first inning, the Dodgers fired a tie-breaking solo shot that Betts balanced, and in the bottom of the second inning, Miguel Cabrera hit a ball that hit the body and reversed the flow 1-2. San Diego then returned the game to square one as Kim Ha-sung called in the third baseman with a ground ball in the second and third base chances in the third inning.
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