'The son of the wind' Lee Jung-hoo (San Francisco Giants) fell from the tree.
Lee Jung-hoo started as the third center fielder in the third game of the 2025 Major League series against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois, on the 8th (Korean time), finishing with 5 at-bats, no hits, and 1 strikeout.
From the top of the first inning, Lee Jung-hoo had the opportunity with no outs and runners on first and second base, but he was caught in a foul fly against Cubs starter Ben Brown.
The second at-bat was also a ground out. In the top of the third inning, leading 1-0, Lee Jung-hoo faced Ben Brown, hitting a 94.1 mph (151 km) four-seam fastball for a popup to the shortstop with two outs and no runners on base.
In the top of the fifth inning, with a 3-1 lead, he faced the opportunity with one out and a runner on second base, but struck out on a swing. In the unfavorable count of 1B-2S, he swung and missed at Brown's fourth pitch, a perfectly placed 95.5 mph (153 km) four-seam fastball.
Lee Jung-hoo still faced a situation in the top of the seventh inning with no outs and a runner on first base, against right-hander Julian Merryweather. He found himself in an unfavorable count after a strike and a foul on the first and second pitches, and recorded a ground out to second base on the third pitch, an 84.7 mph (136 km) slider that dropped low.
Lee Jung-hoo ultimately did not reach base. In the top of the ninth inning, with a 3-1 lead and two outs, he encountered an opportunity with runners on third base. In the count of 1B-1S, he hit a 91.3 mph (146 km) four-seam fastball from Chris Flexen, who previously played for Doosan Bears, resulting in a ground out to the third baseman.
Lee Jung-hoo's batting average for the season dropped from .312 to .310 as his hitting streak of three consecutive games and on-base streak of six consecutive games came to an end. Despite 5 at-bats with no hits, he barely maintained a .300 batting average.
San Francisco defeated the Cubs 3-1, finishing the three-game series in Chicago with a winning series. The team's record stands at 24 wins and 15 losses. Starter Robbie Ray pitched six innings, allowing three hits, two walks, and striking out five batters while giving up one run, earning his fifth win of the season (undefeated). The lineup scored three runs, highlighted by Wilmer Flores' RBI single in the top of the first inning, and a two-run double by Lamonte Wade Jr. and an RBI single by Christian Coss in the top of the fourth inning.
On the other hand, the Cubs fell to a record of 22 wins and 16 losses, suffering a two-game losing streak. Starter Brown allowed six hits, two walks, struck out nine, and gave up three runs over five innings, leading to his third loss of the season (three wins).
After a day of rest, San Francisco will face the Minnesota Twins in a weekend inter-league three-game series starting May 10 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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