SSG Park Seong-han's reflection on 'the first 4-hit game of the season'
SSG Landers infielder Park Seong-han led the team to victory with his first 4-hit game of the season.
Park Seong-han started as the second hitter and shortstop in the 4th game of the 2024 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League season against the KIA Tigers held at Gwangju-KIA Champions Field on the 10th, and played with 4 hits in 5 at-bats, 2 RBIs, and 1 run, leading the team to a 4-2 victory. contributed to the victory. This is the third time that Park Seong-han has hit 4 hits in one game (4 hits against Gwangju KIA on May 19, 2021, and 4 hits against Jamsil Doosan Bears on June 20, 2023).
Park Seong-han got off to a good start by producing a hit in his first at-bat. He caught KIA starter Yoon Young-cheol's three-pitch fastball with one out in the top of the first inning and stepped on first base with a hit to right-center that passed past the second baseman. He headed to second base when follow-up hitter Choi Jeong hit, but was unable to score due to a double play by fourth hitter Guillermo Heredia.
This was just the beginning. In the top of the 3rd inning, with 2 outs and runners on first base, Park Seong-han pulled Yoon Young-cheol's 6-pitch cutter at the end of a full-count game and produced a long hit that went past the first baseman. Meanwhile, first base runner Choi Ji-hoon passed second and third bases in order and reached home, scoring a run.
Park Seong-han also recorded a hit in his third at-bat in the top of the sixth inning. He came out as the lead hitter and pulled in Yoon Young-cheol's two-pitch slider, creating an opportunity with a hit to right field.
The decisive hit came in the top of the 8th inning when the team was down 1-2. Park Seong-han pushed Jeon Sang-hyun's six-pitch slider with one out and runners on second base and guided second base runner Kyung-mo Choi home with a double to left-center, balancing the score at 2-2. He showed his presence by scoring a run when Ji-young Lee hit a timely hit with two RBIs with two outs and bases loaded. In the top of the 9th inning, he struck out with 2 outs and 3rd base on base, and although he did not reach a 5-hit game, he had a satisfactory day.
After the game, Park Seong-han said, “Rather than hitting 4 hits, I wanted to challenge 5 hits,” and added, “The best feeling was the hit I hit in my third at-bat. I hit Yoon Young-cheol’s breaking ball, and it felt really good.” “In the case of the hit I hit at the plate, I think I responded (to the ball) in the situation I was thinking of, and it seemed like it was a hit that my body reacted to in that at-bat,” he said.
He continued, "I didn't think the physical burden was greater. It takes a lot of stamina to hit a lot of hits and run out on the ground, but I think I was out a lot before that, so I didn't have a lot of stamina. I hope today's game (10th) was an opportunity to do better. “But I think we need to manage it so that the flow can continue well,” he added.
We also did not forget to mention Drew Anderson, who made a mark in his KBO League debut with 3 hits, 1 walk, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts, and no runs in 3 innings that day. Park Seong-han said, "At first, I thought the speed was displayed incorrectly on the electronic display board. Since it showed 156 km/h, I thought the speed gun was broken, but since (that speed) kept showing, I thought it was good. It's a bit difficult for me to judge as I haven't pitched a few innings yet. “It’s early, but looking at the game on the 10th, I don’t think it was bad.”
This season, Park Seong-han continued to cruise with 36 hits in 124 at-bats in 32 games until last month after the opening of the regular season, with a batting average of 0.290, 1 home run, and 11 RBIs, but his pace appears to have slowed down recently. Before today's game, there had not been a single game in May where multiple hits were achieved.
Park Seong-han said, "I remember that the record was poor around this time last year. Of course, there was a rebound in May, but I think the performance was a little lower than now." “I couldn’t keep the offense alive, but I feel good because it seemed different in today’s game.”
Park Seong-han also said, "The skills of young players in the shortstop category are continuously improving. Although I am not old, I really want to do well. There is no pressure or anything like that, and it is fun to play every day. Because you don't know what will happen in the game that day. “I am playing every day with excitement,” he said.
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