Kim Hye-seong goes 4 for 4 with homer as Dodgers roll over Yankees

Rookie Kim Hye-seong of the Los Angeles Dodgers went 4-for-4 with a home run in a nationally televised game against the New York Yankees on June 1, marking the first four-hit game of his Major League Baseball career.

The game, held at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, drew attention as a showdown between the Dodgers and Yankees, who faced each other in last year’s World Series. Batting ninth and playing shortstop, Kim drew a walk in his first plate appearance in the bottom of the first inning. In the second inning, with two outs and a runner on second, he launched a two-run homer off Yankees reliever Brent Headrick. On the eighth pitch of the at-bat, Kim pulled a high inside four-seam fastball at 148 kilometers per hour over the right-field wall. The ball left his bat at 165 kilometers per hour and traveled 126 meters. It was Kim’s first home run in 17 days since hitting a solo shot against the Oakland Athletics on May 15.

A left-handed hitter, Kim had previously only appeared against right-handed pitchers under the Dodgers’ platoon system. But with starting shortstop Mookie Betts sidelined due to a toe injury, Kim got the start and seized the opportunity by homering off the left-handed Headrick in their first-ever matchup. He added base hits in the fifth and sixth innings and a double in the eighth, finishing 4-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs, and three runs scored. His season batting average rose from .366 to .422.

Kim also impressed on defense. In the top of the third inning with runners on first and second and no outs, he caught a line drive from Jorbit Vivas and made a diving tag at second base to complete a double play. After moving to center field in the sixth, Kim fielded a deep drive from Aaron Judge off the wall on one hop and threw directly to second base to catch Judge attempting a double. The Dodgers crushed the Yankees 18-2, with Max Muncy hitting two of the team’s five home runs.

Elsewhere, San Francisco Giants outfielder Lee Jung-hoo went 2-for-5 against the Miami Marlins, recording his first multi-hit game in four contests. The Giants lost 1-0.


Hong-Gu Kang windup@donga.com