Yuki Matsui (San Diego Padres) smiled in his season's first matchup against Shohei Ohtani (LA Dodgers), but bowed his head to Kim Hye-seong, a former Kiwoom Heroes player.

Matsui took the mound as the second pitcher in the fifth inning during the home game against the Dodgers at Petco Park in San Diego, California, on the 10th (Korean time), leading 6-5.

After allowing a single to the first batter, Max Muncy, Matsui forced Andy Pajes into a flyout to right field. Soon after, he struck out Tommy Edman for a Samjin. A wild pitch led to two outs with a runner on second base.

At the plate was Kim Hye-seong. Matsui threw a slider on the second pitch with a ball count of 0B-1S, which resulted in a double down the right field line. The score was tied at 6-6. He then induced Shohei Ohtani to ground out to first base to end the inning.

Japanese sports media "Sponichi Annex" reported on the 10th, "Matsui entered the game as the second pitcher in the fifth inning, leading 6-5 against the Dodgers, recording 1 inning, 2 hits allowed, and 1 earned run. Although he started off shakily by allowing a single to lead-off batter Muncy, he recorded two outs against Pajes and Edman, respectively, via a flyout to right field and a Samjin. However, he allowed a double down the right field line to Kim Hye-seong, tying the game at 6-6. This marked his first earned run in four games."

The media added, "Matsui claimed victory in his season's first matchup against Ohtani, with whom he competed on the Japanese national baseball team. He induced a ground ball to first base on the third pitch with a ball count of 1B-1S, ending the inning."

Meanwhile, Kim Hye-seong recorded 1 hit and 1 RBI in 3 at-bats, lowering his season batting average from .414 to .410. He stepped to the plate in the second inning with one out and no runners on base but was retired on a ground ball to shortstop. He then bowed his head after being struck out on a swing during a 2-out, 2nd and 3rd base opportunity in the third inning.

Kim Hye-seong hit a double to right field against the left-handed Matsui Yuki with two outs and a runner on second base in the fifth inning while trailing 5-6. The score was tied at 6-6. However, Ohtani grounded out to first base, resulting in a missed scoring opportunity.

Kim Hye-seong was replaced by the pinch hitter Kiké Hernández in the eighth inning, with one out and no runners on base, tied at 6-6. As the San Diego bench sent left-handed Adrian Morejón instead of right-handed Jeremiah Estrada, the Dodgers bench also deployed Kiké Hernández as a pinch hitter. The result was a strikeout on a swing.

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