2024-03-13 02:16:19
There were mixed emotions in the face-off between the superstars currently representing Korean and Japanese baseball.
While Lee Jeong-hoo (26, San Francisco Giants) was silent with no hits in three at-bats, Shohei Ohtani (29, LA Dodgers) led the team to victory with three hits, one home run, and two RBIs.
Lee Jeong-hoo and Ohtani finally faced each other for the first time in an exhibition game in the American professional baseball Major League (MLB). Lee Jung-hoo started as the number one hitter and center fielder in the 2024 MLB Cactus League exhibition game away game against the LA Dodgers held at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona, USA on the 13th (Korean time) and recorded no hits in three at-bats and one strikeout.
The first meeting between Lee Jeong-hoo (left) and Ohtani Shohei was met with mixed emotions. Left of photo = AP = Provided by Yonhap News/(Right) = Right of photo (Arizona, USA) = ⓒAFPBBNews = News1
Lee Jeong-hoo’s batting average in the exhibition game (Cactus League) fell from 0.368 to 0.318. In his 8 exhibition games, Jeong-hoo Lee has a batting average of 0.318 (7 hits in 22 at-bats), 1 home run, 3 RBIs, 3 runs, 1 stolen base, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts. He had an on-base percentage of 0.375 and a slugging percentage of 0.500.
On the other hand, Ohtani, who started as the number 2 designated hitter, swung a hard hit with 3 hits (1 home run) in 4 at-bats, 2 RBIs, and 1 strikeout. Ohtani’s performance in the exhibition game was a batting average of 0.579/2 home runs, 9 RBI/OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) soared to a whopping 1.705.
Dodgers starting pitcher Glasnow became the winning pitcher with an overwhelming pitching of 5.1 innings, no hits, 1 walk, 8 strikeouts, and no runs, including a perfect pitch over 4.1 innings.
With the opening game just a few days away, both teams had many of their key players playing. First, San Francisco has Lee Jeong-hoo (center fielder) – Tyro Estrada (second baseman) – Lamonte Wade Jr. (first baseman) – Matt Chapman (3rd baseman) – Mike Yastrzemski (right fielder) – Patrick Bailey (catcher) – Austin Slatter (left fielder) -Yoshitomo Tsutsugo (designated hitter) and Nick Ahmed (shortstop) were selected as the starting lineup. The starting pitcher was chased by right-handed pitcher Blaine Enlow.
Photo (Arizona, USA) = ⓒAFPBBNews = News1
In response, right-handed pitcher Tyler Glasnow, who was designated as the starting pitcher for the opening Seoul Series, played as a starting pitcher for the Dodgers. The Dodgers’ starting lineup is Mookie Betts (shortstop) – Shohei Ohtani (designated hitter) – Freddie Freeman (first baseman) – Will Smith (catcher) – Jason Hayward (right fielder) – Teosca Hernández (left fielder) – Enrique Hernández (center fielder) – They were Miguel Rojas (third baseman) and Chris Owings (second baseman).
The first match between Lee Jeong-hoo and Ohtani, the best players recruited by both teams last winter and currently representing Korea and Japan, was held. Previously, on the 8th, San Francisco and the Dodgers played an exhibition game, but the meeting did not take place due to Ohtani’s absence.
Lee Jeong-hoo stood at bat first. In the top of the first inning, we faced Glasnow with no runners on base. Glasnow is an ace who posted a record of 10 wins, 7 losses, and an ERA of 3.53 for the Tampa Bay Rays last year. He was traded to the Dodgers in December of last year after the end of the season, and signed a five-year, $136.5 million (approximately 179.3 billion won) long-term contract.
Photo = Provided by San Francisco Giants
Against Glasnow, who was confirmed as the starter for the opening game of the Major League Baseball held in Korea, Lee Jeong-hoo confidently attacked the first pitch, but ended up fouled. After picking off the second and third pitches in succession, Lee Jeong-hoo pulled the ball into the center again on the fourth pitch, but was kicked out by a grounder to second base.
Ohtani’s bat was on fire from the bottom of the first inning. With one out and no runner on base, he hit the fourth pitch in his first at-bat and made a hit to right. Ohtani advanced to second base when the follow-up batter hit, but failed to score.
Despite Glasnow’s overwhelming pitching, the game was played with San Francisco’s empty balls. Even until the top of the fourth inning, when Lee Jeong-hoo entered his second at-bat, San Francisco had a perfect game, with no player on base and Glasnow striking out eight. And Lee Jeong-hoo, who took the opportunity again as the leadoff hitter in the top of the 4th inning, once again grabbed the advantageous ball count of 2B-1S. However, the batted ball that hit the 4th pitch became a foul, and he pushed the 5th pitch, but it ended up being a fly ball that was sucked into the left fielder’s glove.
Photo (Arizona, USA) = ⓒAFPBBNews = News1
Meanwhile, Otani succeeded in hitting multiple hits. Standing at bat for the second time in the bottom of the third inning with one out and runners on first base, Ohtani boldly attacked the first pitch and hit a hit that went past the second base. Then, in the bottom of the 5th inning, with no outs on first base, he struck out after a close game.
An opportunity also came to Lee Jeong-hoo. When Glasnow retired after one out in the sixth inning, the San Francisco batting lineup, which had been silent until then with no hits, woke up. Nick Ahmed hit a hit against replaced pitcher Ryan Brazier.
And with 1 out and 1st base behind 0-4, Lee Jeong-hoo came to the plate for the 3rd time that day. However, this at-bat, unlike the previous at-bats in which he selected all the artificial pitches and had a favorable ball count in the process, he was forced to 2S and retired after striking out on a breaking ball with a large drop to the outside. Lee Jeong-hoo’s third strikeout in an exhibition game.
Photo = AP = Provided by Yonhap News
On the other hand, Ohtani hit his second home run of the exhibition game in the bottom of the 6th inning with 2 outs and 1st base. With a ball count of 2B-1S, Ohtani swung the bat with such force that his helmet came off on the 4th pitch and did not miss the 5th pitch. It was a well-controlled ball on a low course outside, but I pushed it over the left-center fence. It is a two-run arch that widens the Dodgers’ lead to 6-0, and is also Ohtani’s second shot in an exhibition game.
Lee Jeong-hoo, who had no choice but to watch this home run, ended the game that day after being replaced by defensive back Donovan Walton in the 7th inning.
Photo (Arizona, USA) = ⓒAFPBBNews = News1 Photo (Arizona, USA) = ⓒAFPBBNews = News1 Photo (Arizona, USA) = ⓒAFPBBNews = News1
On this day’s game, the Dodgers showed off their firepower by hitting three home runs. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Will Smith’s two-run shot was followed by another two-run home run by Hernández. The Dodgers, who tied up Ohtani’s two-run shot in the bottom of the sixth inning and scored six runs with only three home runs, seemed to have won a complete victory. However, San Francisco chased after scoring 4 runs in the top of the 9th inning. However, it ultimately failed to turn it over and ended in a victory for the Dodgers.
The Dodgers have an overwhelming record of 13 wins and 4 losses in exhibition games, and San Francisco has a somewhat poor record of 6 wins and 8 losses.
Kim Won-ik, MK Sports reporter
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