Bae Ji-hwan (24, Pittsburgh Pirates) continued to hit in two consecutive games.
Bae Ji-hwan started as the 8th hitter and center fielder in an away game against the Boston Red Sox in the 2023 Major League (MLB) regular season held at Fenway Park on the 6th (Korean time) and recorded 1 hit in 4 at-bats.스포츠토토
Bae Ji-hwan hit his first home run after his MLB debut against Boston on the 5th. Although the distance was rather short, it was a cannon that crossed the left wall of Fenway Park, the famous Green Monster, for its enormous height. He showed his not bad hitting feeling for two days in a row, and his season performance was a batting average of 0.222, 1 home run, 2 RBIs, 3 runs scored and 2 stolen bases. On the other hand, Pittsburgh, where Bae Ji-hwan played an active role, won 4-1 on the day, ending their three-game away game against Boston with a sweep. The team’s season record was 4 wins and 2 losses, keeping the 2nd place in the Central Division of the National League.
Bae Ji-hwan’s hit came a bit late. Bae Ji-hwan, who retired with a fly to right field in his first at-bat and a fly to left field in his second at-bat, returned to bat in the top of the 6th inning when he had a chance to load bases with two outs, but failed to save his team’s chance by withdrawing with a straight hit by shortstop.
It wasn’t until the 8th inning that the hit finally came out. Bae Ji-hwan attacked right-handed Boston pitcher Richard Blair when a slow fastball of 143km per hour entered the middle in the top of the 8th inning in a two-out situation. The ball hit Blair’s glove and flowed toward third base, and Bae Ji-hwan, who had quick feet, reached first base and became an infield hit. Blair caught the ball and threw it to first base, but it missed, and Bae Ji-hwan advanced to second base.
Meanwhile, Pittsburgh took the lead with veteran Carlos Santana’s superior solo shot in the 0-0 situation at the beginning of the 4th inning. Then, in the top of the 6th inning, Brian Reynolds opened the fire with a double, followed by an infield hit by Andrew McCutchen on third base, and an additional run by Brian Hayes’ bunt hit after a run.
In the beginning of the 4th inning, catcher Jason DeLay’s double and shortstop O’Neill Cruz’s first baseman’s choice of fielder created opportunities for first and third base safely. Pittsburgh scored another run on Reynolds’ left fielder’s sacrifice fly, and just as Boston’s left fielder Masataka Yoshida made a throwing error, runner Cruz advanced an extra base. Pittsburgh caught the mood, and Santana hit a double at the right time to seal the wedge.
Pittsburgh seemed to hit a tying home run from Boston’s pinch hitter Liz McGuire at the end of the 7th inning with 2 out on 1st and 3rd base with a 4-1 lead, but as a result of the video review, the ball went outside the foul pole and was able to finish the inning without allowing a run. .
Meanwhile, Bae Ji-hwan’s teammate Choi Ji-man was absent that day.