Cincinnati rookie Rece Hinds slugs two more long home runs

"Extending unreal run." The official media outlet of Major League Baseball (MLB) reported this on Sunday while introducing rookie Rece Hinds of the Cincinnati Reds. Hinds, who made his MLB debut on Tuesday, has been captivating fans with his consistently powerful hitting.

On Sunday, the 23-year-old hit multiple home runs for the first time in his big league career during a home game against Miami. Starting as the right fielder and batting eighth, Hinds launched a solo home run in the bottom of the third inning and a two-run home run over the left field fence in the bottom of the sixth inning. With this game, Hinds became the first player in MLB history to hit nine extra-base hits in his first six games. Up to that day, Hinds had recorded 11 hits in 22 at-bats (a .500 batting average), including five home runs, one triple, and three doubles. Hinds also became the second rookie in history to hit five home runs in his first six games, following Trevor Story of the Colorado Rockies, who hit seven home runs in his first six games in 2016 and is currently with Boston.

This year, Hinds debuted at the highest minor league level, Triple-A, where he posted a batting average of .216 with 13 home runs and 41 RBIs, which were not particularly outstanding. However, he showcased his potential by hitting home runs in his first two Triple-A games and achieving a 12-game hitting streak mid-season. "I am thankful for the opportunity,” Hinds said after the game. “I am happy to help the team win." Cincinnati won the game 10-6.


Hong-Gu Kang windup@donga.com