San Francisco Giants outfielder Lee Jung-hoo from South Korea continued his strong preseason form with a second consecutive multi-hit game in Major League Baseball (MLB) spring training.
Lee, 27, started as the No. 3 hitter and center fielder in a matchup against the Los Angeles Angels at Scottsdale Stadium in Scottsdale, Arizona, on Mar. 2 (local time). He went 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
The previous day, the S. Korean player also recorded two hits in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, which featured a “Korean Derby” against his former Kiwoom Heroes teammate Kim Hye-seong.
In his first at-bat, Lee lined a sharp single between first and second base off right-hander José Soriano. The 27-year-old Soriano, who logged 113 innings with a 6-7 record and a 3.42 ERA in the big leagues last season, is considered a solid pitcher. After reaching base, Lee came around to score on consecutive hits by his teammates.
In the third inning, Lee sent another hit through the same gap. He later crossed home plate again after a walk and an RBI single by subsequent batters. Later in the inning, with the lineup cycling back around, he had another chance with the bases loaded and two outs but lined out to right field. He was replaced in the sixth inning.
Lee’s strong showing lifted his spring training batting average to .400 (6-for-15). The Giants went on to win 9-5.
Meanwhile, Kim Hye-sung, 26, entered as a pinch-runner in the sixth inning of the Dodgers' game against the Chicago White Sox. He had one at-bat and struck out, bringing his spring average down to .118 (2-for-17). A day earlier, Kim had launched his first home run of the preseason.
Bae Ji-hwan of the Pittsburgh Pirates started as the No. 9 hitter and center fielder in a game against the Detroit Tigers. He went 0-for-2.
