Bae Ji-hwan (24, Pittsburgh Pirates) continued a three-game hitting streak, but could not prevent the team from losing. Pittsburgh gave up a losing series to the Oakland Athletics, the last team in the major leagues, by giving up seven runs in the first inning alone.안전놀이터
Bae Ji-hwan started as No. 8 and center fielder in the 2023 Major League home game against Oakland at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA on the 8th (Korean time), recording 1 hit, 1 run and 1 walk in 3 at-bats.
The season batting average rose from 0.275 to 0.276, and the OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) rose from 0.692 to 0.695, and the 0.7 entry entered the countdown. Until the game on the 7th, the average OPS of a second baseman in the major leagues was 0.704, and Bae Ji-hwan also has a basic batting average of 0.7 as a starting second baseman.
Pittsburgh lost 5-9, unable to cope with the aftermath of starter Roanci Contreras’ 6 hits, 2 walks, 1 strikeout and 7 runs in ⅓ innings without a home run in the first inning. At the same time, he recorded a losing series against Auckland, and after 6 consecutive wins, his upward trend was broken with 2 consecutive losses.
Even Bae Ji-hwan, who has a strong shoulder, was helpless against a collapsing mound. In the first inning, Contreras allowed 1 RBI and 1 RBI timely hit to Brent Lucker in 1st and 2nd base, and 1 RBI and 1 RBI timely hit to Jonah Bride in 2nd and 3rd base. Thanks to Bae Ji-hwan, it was fortunate for Pittsburgh that only one runner came in both times.
Pittsburgh, with one run and bases loaded in the first inning behind 0-5, replaced it with Rob Jastrizny, but he also made it 0-7 with a series of push-back walks. Afterwards, the long first inning ended with a strikeout on Brent Rooker on a swing and Ramon Loriano on a third baseman grounder.
From the first at-bat, Bae Ji-hwan used his quick feet to get hits. As the lead batter in the bottom of the third inning, he hit a ground ball to the shortstop and sprinted to create an infield hit. He couldn’t hit home due to a follow-up hit. In the bottom of the 4th inning, he hit a ground ball on the same course with 2nd out and 2nd base, but this time, shortstop Kevin Smith caught it well and threw it to 1st base, making it out.
Bae Ji-hwan returned to his original position of second baseman as Josh Palacios was put into the outfield in the 7th inning defense. Brian Reynolds, who moved to center fielder instead of Bae Ji-hwan, had to suffer untimely as Seth Brown’s double and Rooker’s 1-RBI double flew within range.
Throughout all three at-bats, Bae Ji-hwan’s batted ball did not exceed that of shortstop Smith. Bae Ji-hwan, who started as the lead batter in the bottom of the 7th inning, hit Ken Waldy Chuck’s 94.9 mph fastball and produced a 96.1 mph fastball, but the ball became a straight hit for the shortstop.
In the end, he succeeded in getting on base again with a snowball, not a hit. In the bottom of the ninth, Bae Ji-hwan, who started as the lead batter, reunited with Waldy Chuck, picked out five balls, and reached first base with a walk. Afterwards, he advanced to second base with a ball hit by Jason Delay, reached third base when Andrew McCutchen hit a grounder, and stepped home when Reynolds hit a right-handed RBI. It was Bae Ji-hwan’s 29th point of the season and Pittsburgh’s last point that day.
Pittsburgh followed closely with 1 run in the 2nd inning, 2 runs in the 4th inning, and 1 run in the 7th inning, but after Bae Ji-hwan scored in the bottom of the 9th inning, Carlos Santana withdrew from a 2nd bases loaded chance with a ball to the right field, and the loss was decided. In the batting line, Kibrian Hayes scored 3 hits in 5 at-bats and Rodolfo Castro scored a total of 9 hits, including 2 hits in 4 at-bats (1 home run) and 3 RBIs, but Santana had two chances with 1 out in the 7th inning and 2 outs in the 9th inning with the bases loaded. I had to accept defeat while flying.
Meanwhile, Oakland rookie Hogan Harris, who made his debut this season, won 4 hits (1 home run), 3 walks, 2 strikeouts and 3 runs in 5 innings, winning his first major league debut victory in 4 starts. The batting line helped the rookie win his first debut by driving 17 long and short hits, including all hits from the starting lineup.