Kim Ha-seong posts first hit, first run against Diamondbacks

Kim Ha-seong of the San Diego Padres had his first hit in his second game and his second time at bat since the opening of the new Major League Baseball season. In a home game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at the Petco Park in San Diego, California on Sunday, the 25-year-old infielder had a hit to the left field by swinging on the seventh pitch in a full-count showdown with the opponent team’s starting pitcher Caleb Smith (30), with two outs and runners on the first and second bases in the bottom of the first inning. Kim swung on a four-seam fastball with a speed of 91.8 miles per hour, and brought home the second-base runner Wil Myers.

In the opening game on Thursday, Kim took the batter’s box as substitute batter before getting struck out. He started in the latest game as sixth batter and second baseman. As left-handed pitcher Smith started for Arizona in the game, Eric Hosmer did not participate, with the first baseman position filled with the second baseman Jacob Cronenworth, which in turn presented Kim a chance to play as starting member. Kim also took the batter’s box as first batter in the bottom of the third inning, and had a hit to the left field by swinging on a four-seam fastball with a speed of 89.6 miles per hour. To overcome his unimpressive batting average of 0.167 recorded during the spring training camp, Kim made multiple hits to post two hits and one run on the day.

As Kim hit his first hit in the bottom of the first inning, his teammates in the dugout expressed joy en masse. Manuel Machado, the team’s flagship bater, performed mischievous act: As he received the ball that was recorded as a hit from the opponent team’s defender, he hid it in his left hand, and threw another ball with his right hand to the spectator stand. “The manager and coaches all treated me very well, which helped me a lot in adapting myself in the league,” Kim said.

Kim said that he feels great when mentioning his parents who came to watch the game in person. By securing a 7-0 win on the day, The San Diego Padres have emerged as frontrunner by posting three consecutive wins in the Western Division of the National League.


Hong-Gu Kang windup@donga.com