"I've always dreamed of playing at Dodger Stadium..."

On the 15th (Korean time), Kim Hye-sung started as the No. 9 second baseman in the game against the Athletics at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, marking his debut with a home run and finishing with 2 at-bats, 2 hits, 1 RBI, and 1 run scored.

It was Kim Hye-sung's home starting debut. The day before (14th), he had appeared as a pinch hitter for Mookie Betts in the bottom of the 8th inning, greeting the home fans at Dodger Stadium for the first time. And on this day, Kim Hye-sung made the starting lineup at home for the first time.

On that day, the starting pitcher for Oakland was Gunnar Hoglund, a promising player called up in May who had recorded 1 win and an ERA of 2.38 in 2 games this season. He faced Kim Hye-sung in his first at-bat when the score was 2-0, after Shohei Ohtani's leadoff solo home run in the first inning and Andy Páez's solo home run leading off the second inning.

With two outs and no runners on base, Kim Hye-sung found himself in a disadvantageous count against Hoglund. In a 1B-1S count, he fouled off a changeup, a sweeper, and a four-seam fastball. In the unfavorable 1B-2S count, he hit an 87.6-mile-per-hour changeup.

The ball rolled slowly and passed by pitcher Hoglund. The second baseman handled it quickly, but Kim Hye-sung's sprint allowed him to make an infield hit. He recorded the first hit at Dodger Stadium with his speed.

Kim Hye-sung also made his presence felt defensively. In the top of the 4th inning, trailing 2-3 with two outs and a runner on second, he caught a line drive from Luis Urias for an out. He slid to make the catch of a strong hit traveling at 106.2 miles per hour (170.9 km/h), preventing additional runs for starting pitcher Yamamoto Yoshinobu.

Then, in the bottom of the 5th inning, Kim Hye-sung appeared as the leadoff hitter. With one strike, he launched the second pitch, a 92.2-mile-per-hour four-seam fastball, over the right-center field wall for a game-tying solo home run. This was the first home run of his Major League career. The hit had a speed of 104.3 miles per hour (167.9 km/h) and a distance of 385 feet (117 m). Kim Hye-sung hit his first home run in just 11 Major League games.

As he returned to the dugout, Kim Hye-sung was showered with sunflower seeds, enjoying the privilege of being a homer hitter for the Dodgers. Only 10 out of 30 Major League parks allow home runs of that nature. The score was tied at 3-3. Kim Hye-sung's first home run brought joy to all his Dodgers teammates. Additionally, as he entered the dugout, he celebrated with the sunflower seed shower, a privilege of Dodgers home run hitters. Andy Páez, who was seen as a roster competitor, threw a generous amount of sunflower seeds at Kim Hye-sung.

Although the game wasn't over yet, the Los Angeles Dodgers and MLB's official social media were buzzing about Kim Hye-sung's home run.

In celebrating Kim Hye-sung's first home run, MLB’s official social media blended an image of Kim Hye-sung with that of a comet, stating, "If you blinked, you might have missed Kim Hye-sung's home run." They also posted, "Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's Kim Hye-sung's first big league home run!" congratulating Kim Hye-sung's first home run, known for his speed. The Dodgers' official social media captured the moment Kim Hye-sung hit the home run from the third-base bullpen and shared the post, "Don't underestimate Kim Hye-sung's power!"

In the 6th inning with the game tied at 3-3 and two outs and a runner on first base, Kim Hye-sung was replaced by pinch hitter Miguel Rojas when left-handed Hogan Harris took the mound, concluding his day. Despite Kim Hye-sung's multi-hit performance, he was substituted, but pinch hitter Miguel Rojas produced a game-winning hit, and the team won 9-3.

According to 'Dodger Insider', Kim Hye-sung said, "As someone who has always dreamed of playing in this stadium, Dodger Stadium, I am very happy and very excited in this moment," adding, "I don't think about power in hitting. I only focus on hitting the ball hard," revealing that he did not consciously think of the home run.

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