San francisco: Lee Jung-hoo of the San Francisco Giants has tied a major league record for triples by an Asian-born player in a season. Lee went 3-for-4 with his 12th triple of the year as the Giants defeated the Colorado Rockies 6-3 at Oracle Park in San Francisco.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee hit the triple off the bottom of the right-center field wall in the second inning. The ball traveled 387 feet at a 22-degree launch angle and would have been a home run in 22 of the 30 Major League Baseball stadiums. With this achievement, Lee moved up to third place in MLB for triples this season, trailing only Corbin Carroll of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Jarren Duran of the Boston Red Sox.
Lee also matched Hall of Famer Ichiro Suzuki's record for the most triples by an Asian player in a single season. Ichiro, known for his illustrious career, had accomplished this feat in 2005. In tribute to the Japanese superstar, Lee wears Ichiro's former number, 51.
During the game, Lee flied out in the third inning but managed to single in both the sixth and seventh innings. He has now hit safely in three consecutive games, following a seven-game hitless streak earlier in September. Lee is currently batting .303 for September and .264 for the season.
In an eighth-inning mishap, Lee mistakenly tossed the ball into the stands after catching a flyball, thinking the inning had ended. This error allowed a runner to advance to third base, but reliever Joel Peguero managed to strike out Blaine Crim, preventing any further damage.
In other MLB action, Kim Hye-seong went 1-for-4 in his first start for the Los Angeles Dodgers since September 8, helping the team secure a 3-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Kim singled in the eighth inning, marking his first hit since September 7. However, he was picked off while attempting to steal second base, his first unsuccessful steal in 14 attempts this year.
Meanwhile, Atlanta Braves shortstop Kim Ha-seong was hitless in four at-bats and struck out twice in a 9-3 defeat to the Pittsburgh Pirates at Truist Park in Atlanta.