Forget the bucket injury. Fans chanting “Ha Sung Kim!” were rewarded with a multi-hit game.
San Diego Padres pitcher Ha Sung Kim, 28, had a spectacular first half finale.
Kim batted first and started at second base during the Padres’ 2023 Major League Baseball home game against the New York Mets at Petco Park in San Diego, California, U.S., on Tuesday.
No more “bucket nightmares. In the bottom of the seventh inning against the Mets on Aug. 8, Kim hit a double down the left field line against former KBO player Brooks Railly and raced to third base before being tagged out. After returning to the dugout, Kim kicked a bucket of water to relieve his frustration, but stubbed his toe and was replaced by Lugned Odor in the top of the ninth. He was given the night off against the Mets.
San Diego’s lineup for the final game of the first half was Ha-Sung Kim (second base), Juan Soto (left field), Fernando Tatis Jr. (right field), Manny Machado (third base), Zander Bogaerts (shortstop), Jake Cronenweth (first base), Gary Sanchez (catcher), Lugned Odor (designated hitter), Trent Grisham (center field), and starter Joe Musgrove.
The Mets countered with Max Scherzer on the mound and a starting lineup of Brandon Nimmo (center field), Tommy Pham (left field), Francisco Lindor (shortstop), Yoenis Alonso (first base), Jeff McNeil (right field), DJ Stewart (designated hitter), Francisco Alvarez (catcher), Brett Betts (third base), and Luis Guillome (second base).
The returning Kim struck first in the top of the first inning. On a 1B 2S count, he hit a four-pitch 85-mph changeup that dropped in front of the left-field fence. One out later, Tatis Jr. doubled up the middle, stole third and scored on Machado’s three-run homer to left. San Diego jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead.
Kim’s second at-bat came in the bottom of the second inning. The bases were loaded with no outs. Kim faced Schuerzer again and was foul-tipped out on a 94-mph four-seam fastball on a five-pitch count at 2B 2S.
Unlike his second at-bat, his third came with a golden opportunity. With the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning, Kim couldn’t keep up with Scherzer’s offensive struggles and eventually hit a 95-mph four-seam fastball on a three-pitch count at 2S, but the shortstop grounded out, ending his chance to produce a run.
His fourth at-bat was a different story. Facing left-hander McFarland with one out in the bottom of the sixth, Kim chose the first pitch he saw and responded to an 88-mph sinker two pitches later with a single to left to complete his multi-hit game. As she stepped to the plate, the crowd erupted with chants of “Haseong Kim!” and she responded with a hit of her own. Soto singled and stole second, but Kim was unable to score as Tatis Jr. grounded out to shortstop.
There were no more opportunities for Kim to get on base. Grisham’s at-bat in the bottom of the eighth ended the inning and Tom Cosgrove, who took over on the mound in the top of the ninth, pitched a scoreless inning to seal the 6-2 win for San Diego.
Kim, who went 2-for-4 on the day with a run scored, raised his season batting average to .258 and booked a career-high season with 10 home runs, 31 RBIs, 16 doubles and a .760 OPS.
After winning the final game of the first half, San Diego is still in fourth place in the National League West with a season record of 43-47.체스카지노
Musgrove pitched six shutout innings, allowing no runs on three hits while striking out seven, to pick up his eighth win of the season and lower his season ERA to 3.29. Machado went 4-for-5 with two home runs, five RBIs and two runs scored. His 14th and 15th home runs of the season came in the final inning of the first half, signaling a strong second half. Scherzer, meanwhile, took the loss, allowing five runs on six hits in five innings to fall to 3-8 on the season. Scherzer finished the first half with a 4.31 ERA.