'The Child of the Wind' Lee Jung-hoo (San Francisco Giants) led the team to victory with a key timely hit.
On the 21st (Korean time), Lee Jung-hoo started as the third center fielder in the second game of the interleague three-game series against the Kansas City Royals held at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California, USA, during the 2025 Major League season, recording 1 hit and 1 RBI in 4 at-bats.
In the bottom of the first inning, tied 0-0, Lee Jung-hoo faced his first at-bat with one out and one on base. He fought tenaciously against Kansas City's starting right-hander Michael Lorenzen until the seventh pitch, but he was retired by a fly out to right field on the seventh pitch, which was a low changeup at 85.1 mph (136 km).
In the bottom of the fourth inning, trailing 0-1, he came up as the lead-off hitter but grounded out to second base. In a 1B-2S unfavorable count, he failed to make solid contact with Lorenzen's fourth pitch, a 94.5 mph (152 km) four-seam fastball on the outside.
The third at-bat was different. It was the bottom of the fifth inning, with no outs and runners on first and third, leading 2-1. Facing Lorenzen again, he battled to a full count and hit a key timely single to center field on the sixth pitch, driving in a run. This marked his second consecutive hit in two games. Lee Jung-hoo then advanced to second base on a wild pitch from the opponent, but Hellyot Ramos and Willy Adames struck out consecutively, and Lamonte Wade Jr. grounded out to shortstop, ending the inning at second base.
Lee Jung-hoo stepped to the plate for his last at-bat in the bottom of the seventh inning, leading 3-1, with no outs and a runner on first base. Against left-hander Evan Sisk, he patiently watched two balls in an unfavorable count of 1B-2S, but on the sixth pitch, he swung and missed at a sinking fastball that was over the plate at 89.8 mph (144 km), resulting in a Samjin.
Lee Jung-hoo's season batting average decreased slightly from .276 to .275 after recording hits in two consecutive games.
San Francisco defeated Kansas City 3-2, avenging the previous day's loss. The team's record improved to 29 wins and 20 losses.
Starting pitcher Hayden Birdsong pitched 5 innings, allowing 5 hits, no walks, striking out 4, and giving up 1 earned run, achieving his second win of the season (unbeaten). The batting lineup produced an equalizing 1-RBI triple from Adames in the bottom of the fourth, a go-ahead timely hit from Casey Schmidt for 1 RBI, and a key timely hit from Lee Jung-hoo for 1 RBI in the bottom of the fifth. The value of Lee Jung-hoo's key hit shone even brighter as they allowed 1 run in the top of the eighth while leading 3-1.
On the other hand, Kansas City, aiming for a three-game winning streak, fell to a record of 27 wins and 23 losses. Starter Lorenzen struggled, pitching 4⅔ innings, allowing 7 hits, 2 walks, striking out 5, and giving up 3 earned runs, which marked his fifth loss of the season (3 wins).
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