Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker led the team to a 12-2 victory with two triples in one inning and a super catch that erased Ha-seong Kim’s hit. Ha-seong Kim 바카라(San Diego Padres) added one hit and set a new record for individual single-season hits in the big league, but did not see the light of day.
Tucker started as the 5th right fielder in the 2023 Major League Baseball home game against San Diego held at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas, USA on the 11th (Korean time) and finished with 2 hits in 3 at-bats, 2 RBIs, 1 walk, 2 runs, and 2 stolen bases, leading the team to 12th place. -2 led to a major victory.
Tucker, who warmed up with a fly ball to center field in the second inning, took the lead in the fourth inning with a 3-0 lead, drew a walk, and quickly reached third base with consecutive stolen bases. Succeeded in stealing his 27th and 28th bases of the season. Afterwards, he scored a run by taking advantage of third baseman Egui Rosario’s catching error that occurred when Jose Abreu was at bat.
It was the 6th inning when Baekmi led 4-1. Tucker, who appeared on second base with no outs, hit a runaway triple against left-hander Tim Hill. In 1B-1S, he targeted Hill’s slider on the third pitch and sent the ball to the warning track in right-center, succeeding in his first triple of the season.
[Photo] Kyle Tucker ⓒGettyimages (Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited)
Afterwards, the batting lineup took a turn and it was Tucker’s turn to bat again. In the 6th inning, ahead 11-1, with 2 outs and runners on first base, this time he hit a 1-run triple that hit the right-center wall directly against Rich Hill, putting the game on the line. Houston, backed by Tucker’s two triples in one inning, showed tremendous concentration by scoring eight runs in the sixth inning alone.
Tucker also showed his presence on defense. In the 5th inning, he erased leadoff leader Kim Ha-seong’s hit ball that was curved to the right with a diving catch and received applause from the home fans.
According to MLB.com, the official Major League Baseball website, Tucker, who is also the younger brother of Preston Tucker, who played for the KIA Tigers in the KBO League from 2019 to 2021, was recorded as the first player in the history of the Houston team to hit two triples in one inning.
[Photo] Kyle Tucker ⓒGettyimages (Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited)
“It’s cool,” Tucker said. Thanks to the good performance of his teammates, he was able to get two at-bats in one inning. I just tried to hit the ball into the ground. “(Two triples in one inning) is a really cool thing, and I think it can happen at the same time,” he said, expressing his feelings about making new history.
Meanwhile, Ha-seong Kim, who started as San Diego’s No. 1 second baseman, recorded 1 hit in 4 at-bats and reached base in 4 consecutive games. With this day’s hit, he reached the 131st hit mark for the season. He surpassed last year’s 130 hits and broke the record for the most hits by an individual in a season in the Major League, but was unable to enjoy the joy of achieving the record due to the team’s 10-point loss.
/backlight@osen.co.kr
[Photo] Ha-seong Kim ⓒGettyimages (Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited)