The previous day's absence may have affected him. Awesome Kim remained hitless.
On the 13th (Korea time), Kim Ha-sung started the third game of a four-game series against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts, as the second baseman and struggled with no hits in four at-bats.
Having missed the previous game, Kim Ha-sung faced his first at-bat in the top of the first inning with one out and no runners on base. He encountered left-handed starter Garrett Croche from Boston.
In the top of the fourth inning, with the score tied at 0-0, he batted as the leadoff hitter and grounded out to second base. He made contact with Croche's first pitch, an outside 94 mph (151 km/h) sinker.
His third at-bat was the most disappointing. In the top of the sixth inning, with one out and runners on first and third while trailing 0-1, Kim Ha-sung attempted a surprise bunt on Croche's first pitch, a high 96.7 mph (155 km/h) four-seam fastball. Seizing the opportunity, the runner at third, Taylor Walls, tried to score, but was tagged out by first baseman Abraham Toro’s throw home. Tampa Bay immediately requested a video review, but the original call stood.
Kim Ha-sung, who reached base on a fielder's choice, ended the inning as the next batter, Jake Mangum, grounded out to second base.
In the top of the ninth inning, trailing 0-1 with one out and no runners on, Kim Ha-sung consecutively chose two balls against Croche. Afterward, he failed to capitalize on the third pitch, a 95.9 mph (154 km/h) sinker, and grounded out to the catcher.
Kim Ha-sung, whose hitting streak ended at four games, saw his batting average fall significantly from .333 to .263.
The Tampa Bay Rays, in fourth place in the American League East, lost 0-1 to the third-place Boston, falling into a three-game losing streak. Their record stands at 50 wins and 46 losses. Starting pitcher Shane Baz performed well, pitching 6⅓ innings, allowing five hits, two walks, striking out three, and giving up one run, but suffered his fifth loss of the season (8 wins). The batters, who managed only three hits without scoring, were frustrating.
In contrast, Boston extended its winning streak to nine games, pulling ahead of Tampa Bay by 1.5 games. Starter Croche achieved a complete game victory with nine innings pitched, allowing three hits, no walks, striking out nine, and giving up no runs, marking his 10th win of the season (4 losses). The game-winning hit came from Carlos Navaez, who drove in a run with a single to left field in the bottom of the fourth with one out and a runner on second.
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