The San Diego Padres’ Ha-Sung Kim hasn’t been hitting well in September. His batting average is hovering around 2.17, but he’s still on pace for his most hits in a season since joining the majors.
On Sept. 11 (ET), Kim started at first base against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park and went 1-for-4.
After going 0-for-4 the day before in Houston, Kim’s batting average dropped even further as he only managed one hit on the day. He has failed to collect a hit in four of his 10 games in September.
That puts him at .271 (131-for-484) with 17 home runs, 57 RBIs, 79 runs scored, 34 doubles, a .361 slugging percentage, a .417 on-base percentage, and a .778 OPS for the season. His batting average, which had risen to .290 on August 12, dropped nearly two points. His OPS is also down 7.5% in a month, from .841 on August 5. His batting average, which had been in the “top 10” in the National League (NL), dropped to 23rd.
However, Kim set a new record for most hits in a season in the major leagues. He surpassed his 130 hits from last year.
In his first at-bat in the top of the first inning, Kim drove a five-seam, 87-mph cutter from starter J.P. Franks into right field.
In his second at-bat of the inning, with the score 0-0, Kim got a hit. He led off with a walk and, on a 2B2S pitch count, took a low, 79-mph sweeper off a five-pitch fastball from Franks and lined it high into right-center field.
Houston center fielder Chas McCormick leaped to his feet and threw out the ball short. Second base umpire Manny Gonzalez called the out. The ball entered McCormick’s glove before it hit the ground. The San Diego bench immediately called for a challenge.
Kim ran to second base and waited for the outcome of the challenge with a dumbfounded look on his face. The replay showed that the ball touched the ground first. The out was reversed to a hit. However, the umpires ruled it a single, not a double, and Kim went back to first base. The umpires had the discretion to award the single because Houston did not play defense immediately after the out was called. San Diego manager Bob Melvin and Kim showed disappointment.카지노사이트
Kim then moved to second on Jurickson Profar’s single, but was unable to advance any further on a wild pitch.
Trailing 0-4 in the bottom of the fifth, he stepped to the plate and smashed an 87-mph cutter from Franks, but the ball sailed high and fast into the right-field corner, where right fielder Kyle Tucker leaped to make the catch. In the seventh inning, with the score 2-12, he hit a grounder to third base.
Trailing 1-4 in the bottom of the sixth, San Diego gave up eight runs on seven hits and a walk to Tim Hill and Rich Hill. The Dodgers, who fell to 12-2, are now 67-77.