The 'son of the wind,' Lee Jung-hoo (San Francisco Giants), broke a slump of 8 at-bats without a hit with a triple down the right-center field gap.
On the 22nd (Korean time), Lee Jung-hoo started as the No. 3 center fielder in the first game of a four-game home series against the Milwaukee Brewers at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California, contributing to the team's 5-2 victory with a 1 hit and 1 RBI in 4 at-bats.
Lee Jung-hoo, who went silent with 0 hits in 5 at-bats during the previous day's away game against the Los Angeles Angels, saw his streak of consecutive hits end at 5 games. He continued to struggle, with a well-hit ball going straight to the fielder, and had a quiet game until the third at-bat.
His first at-bat came in the bottom of the first inning with 2 outs and no runners. In a 1 ball, 2 strikes disadvantageous count, he faced a 4th pitch, a low 86.1 mph (138 km/h) slider from the Brewers' starting pitcher, Quinn Priester, but ended up grounding out to the second baseman.
In the bottom of the third, trailing 1-2, he recorded a groundout to the shortstop with 1 out and no runners. After watching Priester's first pitch as a ball, he attacked the second pitch, an outside 91.9 mph (147 km/h) sinker, but was out on a grounder.
In the bottom of the fifth, with the game tied at 2-2 and 1 out and 1 runner on base, Lee Jung-hoo faced his third at-bat. The home crowd chanted "Jung-hoo-ri," and bolstered by the cheers, he made solid contact with a 95.5 mph (153 km/h) four-seam fastball that was centered after a 7-pitch battle, but unfortunately, it went straight to the second baseman.
After reaching base on a fielding error, Lee Jung-hoo saw the next batter, Matt Chapman, end the inning with a groundout to the second baseman.
The final at-bat was different. In the bottom of the seventh, with 2 outs and a runner on first, leading 3-2, he faced left-handed pitcher Jared Kelenic. After watching the first pitch as a ball, he attacked the second pitch, a low 93.1 mph (149 km/h) sinker, driving it to the warning track in right-center for a 1-RBI hit. Lee Jung-hoo roared triumphantly towards the dugout after reaching third base, marking his second triple of the season and ending an 8 at-bat drought without a hit, including the previous day's 5 at-bats without a hit and today's first 3 at-bats without a hit.
Once again, Lee Jung-hoo could not score as Chapman popped out to center field.
With the addition of 1 hit, Lee Jung-hoo's season batting average dropped slightly from .333 to .329.
San Francisco defeated Milwaukee 5-2, asserting themselves in the four-game series and recording a season record of 15 wins and 8 losses. Starting pitcher Robbie RAY left the game after 5 innings, allowing 5 hits (1 home run), 3 walks, and 2 runs with 4 strikeouts, while Hayden Birdsong pitched 3 scoreless innings to secure the victory.
In contrast, Milwaukee's winning streak was halted, bringing their record to 12 wins and 11 losses.
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