Choo Hits Season`s 2nd Homer in Home Loss

Choo Shin-soo of the Cleveland Indians yesterday hit a homer for the second consecutive game.

In a 4-2 11-inning home loss against the Texas Rangers at Cleveland Progressive Field, Choo started at right field and batted third in the lineup. He went 3-3 at the plate including one homer, one RBI, one run, and a steal. Choo also had his second multi-hit game the same day after the match against the Chicago White Sox last Thursday, and recorded three hits in a game for the first time this season.

Last season, he became the first Asian-born player to join the 20-20 club with 20 homers and 21 steals.

Yesterday’s game was the first time this season for Choo to have a homer and a steal in a game. He is aiming for 30 homers and 30 steals this season. With two outs and none on base in the bottom of the first inning, the slugger hit a homer toward right field off a fastball of 145 kilometers per hour from Rangers pitcher Rich Harden to score the game’s first run. Harden is a fastball pitcher went 9-9 for the Chicago Cubs last season with 171 strikeouts in 141 innings. His fastball can reach 150 kilometers per hour.

Choo hit his first homer of this season Monday by pushing to hit a changeup flying in the outer section of the strike zone. He hit the ball that flew a bit higher into the inner section, a pitch that had been considered one of his weaknesses. He has had nine strikeouts in five games since opening day but has not struck out in two consecutive games.

Choo was walked in the third and had a single toward center field in the sixth. He scored off a sacrifice fly by Jhonny Peralta. Choo also had a double and stole his third base of this season to third in the eighth. The Korean raised his batting average to .250 (six of 24) from as low as .111, breaking out of an early season slump.

Cleveland has lost four straight and is 2-5 for the season.

wing@donga.com