“Ha Sung Kim” chant echoed in US capital, first time since ML debut…

‘Ha-Sung Kim’ chants echoed in the US capital, Washington, D.C. Kim Ha-seong (28, San Diego Padres) hit his first home run against Washington with a slider for the first time since his major league debut.

Kim, who was batting eighth and playing third base in the Padres’ 2023 Major League Baseball World Series game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., on Friday (25 July), hit a home run in his second at-bat of the fifth inning.

Trailing 5-2 in the top of the fifth, Kim lifted a 91.6 mph (147.4 km/h) four-seam fastball three pitches outside the zone from Washington right-hander Trevor Williams for a solo home run over the right-centre field fence.

The ball hit 104.9 mph (168.8 km/h), traveled 405 feet (123.4 metres) and had a 23-degree launch angle. It was his fifth home run of the season, 11 days and nine games after his last one against the Los Angeles Dodgers on 14 April.안전놀이터

As Kim rounded the bases after his home run, some in the stands chanted “Ha Sung-kim”. It was unusual to hear a chant from Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States, every time Kim stepped up to the plate at Petco Park in San Diego.

The direction of the home run also stood out. It sailed over the right-centre field fence, the first home run Kim has hit over the fence in his big league career. His previous 23 home runs were mostly pulled home runs, in the order of left (16), left-centre (5) and centre (2).

Even in the KBO, Kim’s 133 career home runs were hit in the following directions: left (94), left-middle (19), middle (14), right (4), and right-middle (2). 4.5% of all home runs. It was an even more unusual day for the typically pulling ‘full hitter’ Kim Ha-seong, as his rare push home run came from the US capital.