Bae Ji-hwan, who plays for the Pittsburgh Pirates in Major League Baseball (MLB), used his quick feet to shake up the defense. He also added a stolen base.
Pittsburgh played a home game against the New York Mets at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday (July 10). Bae was in the starting lineup at second base and batting seventh.
He went 1-for-3 with a double, a walk, two runs scored, and a stolen base. With the extra base hit, he improved his season batting average to 2.7-7.7 (46 hits in 166 at-bats) from 2.7-6.6.
He stole a base in his first at-bat. He drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the second inning with Pittsburgh trailing 1-0. He then stole second after pinch-hitter Josh Palacios attempted a double steal with leadoff man Keivryan Hayes.
It was Bae’s 19th stolen base of the season. He needs just one more to become the second Korean major leaguer to reach 20 stolen bases, joining Shin-soo Choo (now with SSG Landers).
Shin-soo Choo first reached the 20-stolen base milestone in 2009 with 21, followed by 22 in 2010, 21 in 2012, and 20 in 2013. The 22 stolen bases is the most by a Korean major leaguer in a single season. Bae will likely break that record.
Pittsburgh capitalized on the opportunity created by Bae and Hays. Austin Hedges singled to score both Bae and Hays and cut the deficit to 2-1.
Bae stepped up to the plate again in the bottom of the third inning with runners on first and third and Pittsburgh leading 4-1. He laid down a bunt that caught the defense off guard. Mets third baseman Eduardo Escobar caught the ball and threw to first, but the ball slipped behind him.
Third baseman Zack Swinski came home. On a wild pitch, Hayes stole second and third and came home. The two runs scored and Pittsburgh took a 6-1 lead.
Bae stole second, stole third, and came home on Palacios’ RBI single for his second run of the day.
In his return at bat in the bottom of the fourth, Bae battled the pitcher for eight pitches before being thrown out at third base. But in the bottom of the sixth, with runners on second and third, he sent a pitch to the outfield. It was a sacrifice fly to left field, bringing home Swinski from third and giving Bae an RBI.메이저놀이터
In the bottom of the eighth, his final at-bat of the day, he struck out. Pittsburgh outscored the Mets 14-7 to win their second straight. Veteran Rich Hill earned the win on the mound for Pittsburgh, going seven innings and allowing two runs on seven hits with two walks and six strikeouts. Hill picked up his sixth win of the season (5-0).