"New engine" Bae Ji-hwan (Pittsburgh Pirates) missed his first starting opportunity since his major league call-up.
Bae Ji-hwan started in the 8th spot as the center fielder on the 14th (Korea time) during the second game of the three-game series against the New York Mets at Citi Field in Flushing, New York, where he recorded 0 hits in 2 at-bats and 1 walk.
Bae Ji-hwan, who got his first starting opportunity four days after being called up on the 10th, ironically faced Japanese pitcher Senga Kodai, who throws a ghost forkball, creating a matchup between Korea and Japan.
Bae Ji-hwan appeared as the leadoff batter in the third inning, trailing 0-1, but flew out to left field. With a ball count of 1B-1S, he aimed at Senga's third pitch, a low 95.7 mph (154 km/h) four-seam fastball, but the ball was unable to carry and instead popped up high into the outfield.
Still trailing 0-1 in the fourth inning, he had a scoring opportunity with 2 outs and runners on 2nd and 3rd base. However, he swung at a first-pitch strike, followed by a swing and miss on the second pitch, and then struck out swinging on Senga's third pitch, a low 84.4 mph (135 km/h) forkball.
He reached base in his third at-bat. In the sixth inning, trailing 0-1, he found himself with another 2 outs and runners on 2nd and 3rd base. This time, he showcased his plate discipline by calmly drawing a straight walk against newly inserted pitcher Reed Garrett. Following this, Henry Davis drew a walk that tied the game, allowing him to move to second base, but the inning ended with no follow-up hits.
Bae Ji-hwan was substituted for pinch hitter Andrew McCutchen with 2 outs and a runner on 1st base in the eighth inning, trailing 1-2, ending his game on a disappointing note. He also failed to achieve his first hit of the season, maintaining a batting average of .000.
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