Choi Ji-man led Pittsburgh’s victory by hitting a home run in an away game against the San Diego Padres in the 2023 American Professional Baseball Major League held at Petco Park in San Diego, California on the 27th (Korean time).
Choi Ji-man started as the 4th batter and first baseman that day. It’s only been five games since he hit a home run against Shohei Ohtani for the Los Angeles Angels on the 22nd that has made his way into the starting lineup. In the three consecutive matches against San Diego this time, the first game was missed and the second game was only a pinch hitter.
With San Diego’s Kim Ha-seong also starting as the first batter and second baseman, a proper confrontation between major leaguers in Korea unfolded.
Choi Ji-man, who was watching Kim Ha-seong’s performance, answered with a home run.
Choi Ji-man showed a home run from the first at-bat. Choi Ji-man, who appeared as the lead hitter in the top of the second inning with a score of 0-0, hit opposing starting pitcher Seth Lugo’s 149 km/h sinker and hit his sixth home run of the season, slightly crossing the fence in the middle right.
Choi Ji-man, who had a feeling of hitting, hit a big ball toward his right wall in the third at-bat in the top of the 7th inning. However, San Diego right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. jumped right in front of the fence and caught it, stealing only Choi’s hit.
It was a scene where only Choi hit well 토토사이트 and Tatis Jr. caught it well, to the extent that the official website of the major leagues even described it as “Tatis Jr. robbed only Choi of a home run hit.”
In the top of the ninth inning, Choi Ji-man, who went to bat once again, went 4 at bats with 1 hit (1 home run) and 1 RBI as he stepped back with a ground ball to the third baseman. He raised his season batting average slightly from 0.183 to 0.188 (12-for-64). Thanks to Choi Ji-man’s home run, Pittsburgh won 3-2.
Choi Ji-man, who had to watch Kim Ha-seong play an active role in the first game with a multi-home run and the second game with a multi-hit, laughed in the last game 3.
Ha-seong Kim also scored in ‘Storm Run’… 3 brilliant games in a row
Choi Ji-man, who was away for nearly three months due to an Achilles tendon injury in April this year due to treatment and rehabilitation, returned to the major leagues on the 8th of this month and hit 4 home runs in 8 games he started. In particular, he is showing off his slugging power to the point of recording 6 of his 12 hits this season as home runs.
As Pittsburgh insists on a ‘platoon system’ in which left and right batters are selected and selected according to the opponent’s starting pitcher, Choi Ji-man is missing from the starting lineup when a left-handed starter is on the mound. Even in the limited opportunity, Choi Ji-man is demonstrating force by making his presence known with a home run gun.
Although the team lost, Kim Ha-seong’s performance was also great. He played the role of the first hitter with 1 hit, 1 walk and 1 run in 3 at-bats. Ha-sung Kim’s season batting average also rose slightly from 0.272 to 0.273 (89 hits in 326 at-bats).
In particular, when Manny Machado hit base after walking on base in the bottom of the 3rd inning, Kim Ha-seong started from first base and boldly dug into the home base, showing a ‘storm run’, receiving enthusiastic cheers from the home crowd in San Diego.
However, he missed Henry Davis’ hit while defending and recorded his 6th error of the season, leaving a small disappointment.
