South Korean players in MLB on fire this week

San Diego Padres’ shortstop Kim Ha-seong hit a home run at his first at-bat in an away game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio on Tuesday. In the third inning, when the Reds were behind 0-1, Kim hit a 145 kilometer sinker from Reiver Sanmartin to the second deck in left for a two-out solo homer. It was a huge home run that flew about 126 meters. Following season’s first home run against the Reds at home on April 21, Kim hit another homer after three games. He also became the seventh South Korean hitter to hit 10 home runs in MLB.

In the fourth inning, when the Padres were ahead 5-1 with the bases loaded, Kim scored another run with a walk, contributing to the team’s 9-6 victory. Kim had an outstanding performance against the Reds, having 1-for-3 with two RBIs.

Tampa Bay’s Choi Ji-man had back-to-back multi-hit games. Starting as a clean-up hitter and the first baseman against the Seattle Marines at home on Tuesday, Choi went 2-for-5, having back-to-back multi-hit games following the one against the Red Sox on Sunday, when he played as a replacement player. But the Rays lost to the Marines 4-8.

Choi is putting together good performance this season, scoring more than two hits in five games in 15 outings this season. He is ranked eighth in MLB in batting average with 0.357.


Bae-Jung Kim wanted@donga.com