Giants’ Lee Jung-hoo hits his first double in MLB

Lee Jung-hoo of the San Francisco Giants bounced back with his first double of the season and his third multi-hit game, recording two hits in a single game.

On Tuesday, the South Korean centerfielder showcased his resilience in San Francisco's home game against the Washington Nationals in Major League Baseball (MLB). Despite a slow start to the season, he batted as the leadoff centerfielder and went 2-for-3 with one walk and one run scored. His season average, which had dipped to .205, rose to .238 (10 hits in 42 at-bats), a promising sign of his potential.

From the first inning, Lee played a pivotal role in the Giants' victory. He drove Trevor Williams' fifth changeup (130km/h) to left field for a single. After one out, he advanced to third base on Lamont Wade Jr.'s double and took advantage of left fielder Jesse Winker's throwing error to score at home, contributing significantly to the team's early lead.

Even in the third inning, when the Giants trailed 1-3, Lee hit Williams' outside fastball (143km/h), sending a line drive straight to left field. Though Winker dove for it, the ball fell in front of his glove, allowing Lee to reach second base. In the fifth inning, Lee walked to first base, marking his second three-on-base game following his performance against the San Diego Padres on April 1 (no hits in 2 at-bats, three walks).

In defense, in the eighth inning, with one out and a runner on first base, Lee made his first assist since his MLB debut by catching Ildemaro Vargas, who attempted to advance to third base on Trey Lipscomb's liner to center field. San Francisco lost 1-8.


Heon-Jae Lee uni@donga.com