San Francisco's Lee Jung-hoo (27) led the team to its sixth consecutive victory with his first three-hit performance of the season.
On the 6th (Korea Standard Time), Lee Jung-hoo started in center field batting third in the game against the Seattle Mariners at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California, recording 4 at-bats, 3 hits, 2 runs, and 1 stolen base.
In the fourth inning with one out, Lee Jung-hoo hit a 2-base hit piercing the first baseman after connecting with a 84.4 mph (135.8 km/h) splitter from right-handed starter Bryce Miller on the second pitch. He then successfully stole third base, completely stealing the pitcher's timing, and scored on Matt Chapman's RBI double.
After hitting a double and boosting his batting rhythm, Lee Jung-hoo led off the sixth inning and hit another double off Miller's 5th pitch, an 82.5 mph (132.8 km/h) knuckle curve. The batted ball was hit hard, reaching a velocity of 104.4 mph (168.0 km/h). Following that, Matt Chapman hit an RBI double, allowing Lee to score.
In the eighth inning with two outs, Lee Jung-hoo also hit a single off right-handed reliever Jesse Hahn's first pitch, which was a 95.5 mph (153.7 km/h) sinker. This time, the ball's speed reached 103.9 mph (167.2 km/h). However, no follow-up hit came, so it did not lead to a run. With Lee's performance, San Francisco won 4-1 and extended their winning streak to six.
Lee Jung-hoo, who signed a six-year, $113 million contract (approximately 165.1 billion won) with San Francisco last season, suffered a shoulder injury while on defense, which limited him in his rookie season to a batting average of .262 (38 hits in 145 at-bats) with 2 home runs, 8 RBIs, and 15 runs in 37 games, finishing with an OPS of .641.
Having prepared intensely for his second season, Lee Jung-hoo has been performing well, succeeding in reaching base in every game this year. He recorded no hits but had 2 walks in the season opener, and since then, has been on a six-game hitting streak. In this game, he had 3 hits, including 2 doubles, raising his batting average from .250 to .321. His season stats show a batting average of .321 (9 hits in 28 at-bats), 3 RBIs, 9 runs, 3 stolen bases, and an OPS of .887 over 7 games.
On this day, 40,886 fans gathered at Oracle Park. The fans filled Oracle Park and continuously cheered for Lee Jung-hoo with chants of "Jeong-huri!" Lee responded to the fans' support with an impressive performance.
Starting the season with a record of 7 wins and 1 loss for the first time in 22 years since 2003, San Francisco's official social media account posted photos and videos highlighting Lee's performances, including phrases such as "Son of the Wind" and "the flow created by Lee Jung-hoo," immediately after the game. Fans showed enthusiastic reactions.
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