Kim Ha-seong 토스카지노 (28, San Diego Padres) had his hitting streak come to an end after he was unable to overcome a bad ball call by the umpire.
Kim went 0-for-1 as a pinch-hitter in the top of the seventh inning of the Padres’ 2023 Major League Baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on Monday (21 June).
In doing so, he snapped a streak of 15 consecutive plate appearances that began on the 30th of last month against the Pittsburgh Pirates and ended the previous day (20th) against Toronto. It was his longest streak of the season, one more than his previous 14-game streak. His season batting average and on-base percentage both dropped from .264 and .352 to .263 and .351, respectively. San Diego, which had won two straight, also fell to 0-4 and remained in fourth place in the National League West at 46-51.
With Toronto starting right-hander Chris Bassett, San Diego rested Ha-Sung Kim (batting .249 as a right-hander). But with the team down to just four hits in the seventh inning, the Dodgers eventually brought in Alfonso Rivas with one out.
Prior to this game, Kim had been one of the most patient hitters in the majors with 4.41 pitches per at-bat. “Padres second baseman’s growth can be seen in patience, poise at plate,” wrote the San Diego Union-Tribune on the 20th.
However, when it came to a call that didn’t go his way, the ‘Patience King’ also let his frustrations show. Tim Mayza’s high first-pitch sinker was called a no-hitter, with Kim nodding in agreement. The second ball was a disappointment. Mayza fired an 85.2-mph slider about two pitches above the plate that was also called a strike by the umpire.
An illustration of the batted ball call between Ha-Sung Kim and Tim Mayza in the top of the seventh inning of the San Diego-Toronto game on 21 July. /Photo=MLB.com manure
Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr (left) celebrates after completing a walk-off hit against San Diego on Sunday./AFPBBNews=News1
Kim then made no secret of his disappointment, gesturing with his hand that it was a little high. According to the pitch chart on MLB.com, the official website of Major League Baseball, Meijer’s second pitch was just slightly over the top of the strike zone. Depending on the umpire, it could have been called a ball, so Kim’s disappointment was understandable.
The bad luck didn’t stop there. Kim scooped up a low slider from Meza. The ball never left the infield and found its way into the glove of first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. However, first baseman Trent Grisham completely misjudged the pitch and was late to the plate, and Kim’s routine infield fly turned out to be the worst hit of the inning, causing the inning-ending double play.
The San Diego bats continued to struggle after that. They reached base with singles in the eighth and ninth innings, but both times they were stranded as the next batter recorded a double play, leaving them with an 0-4 record.
San Diego starter Blake Snell struggled with his command, allowing five runs on seven hits and seven walks with four strikeouts in five innings to fall to 8-6 on the season. Xander Bogaerts, who started at fourth and shortstop, went 3-for-4, but 10 other batters, including the pinch-hitter, produced three hits. Four walks broke up the batting order.
Toronto starter Bassitt improved to 10-5 on the season with a quality start, allowing four runs on six hits with one walk and five strikeouts. Guerrero Jr. and Alejandro Kirk helped Bassett get the win with a solo shot to right and a two-run shot to left, respectively.
Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hits a right-handed solo shot during the seventh inning against San Diego on Monday./AFPBBNews=News1
Toronto’s Alejandro Kirk hits a two-run shot to left field in the eighth inning against San Diego on Sunday.