Leadoff Bae Ji-hwan's two-base hit exploded, and the team's batting average hits are seen as the opening roster for the first place

Mar 12, 2025

Pittsburgh Pirates Bae Ji-hwan played leadoff against the New York Yankees on the 12th (Korea time) and hit two doubles. Photo = Pittsburgh Pirates Club X Account

Pittsburgh Pirates Bae Ji-hwan showed off his hot batting sense again during the exhibition game.

Bae Ji-hwan played as a leadoff center fielder in the home exhibition game against the New York Yankees at Brandonton Recom Park in Florida on the 12th (Korea time) and led the team to a 9-1 victory by swinging two hits, one RBI and two runs from four times at bat.

It is the second time that Bae Ji-hwan has started as a leadoff since the Boston Red Sox game on the 5th, and he has been in the starting lineup in six of the 10 games he played so far.

With this, Bae Ji-hwa marked a batting average of 0.455 (10 hits in 22 at-bats) with one home run, three RBIs, six runs, two steals, and an OPS of 1.205 in 10 spring training games. He remained the No. 1 hit in the team and the No. 1 batting average among hitters with two or more at-bats.

Bae Ji-hwan, who vigorously pulled right-hander Cam Schlitter's 95.6-mile fastball in his first at-bat in the bottom of the first inning, grounded out to first base.

However, Bae Ji-hwan hit a double in his second at-bat after one out in the third inning with a 1-0 lead. In ball count 1B1S, he hit an 87.1-mile slow fastball that penetrated the low strike zone in the middle of Schlitter's third pitch, hit shortstop Anthony Wolfie's glove, and advanced to second base. It was a strong batting speed of 102.2 miles.

Following the subsequent walk of Adam Frazier, O'Neill Cruz hit a superior three-run home run, and three others, including Bae Ji-hwan, scored. a 4-0 lead.

Bae Ji-hwan is the No. 1 batting average and No. 1 hit in the team in the exhibition game. AP Yonhap News

He also exploded a cool double in his third at-bat in the fourth inning. Bae Ji-hwan, who entered the batter's box with one out and runners on the first and second bases with a left double by lead DJ Stewart and a walk by Billy Cook, beat the changed pitcher Sean Boyle and hit a line drive double to the right. He pulled Boyle's second pitch, 91.2 miles outside sinker, on one strike, and hit 87.3 miles to right-center to settle for second base.

At this time, Stewart rushed home, and first baseman Cook advanced to third base. Bae Ji-hwan homered with Cook when the next batter, Frazier, hit a left double. a 7-1 lead.

Bae Ji-hwan, who hit a ground ball to shortstop with one out and runners on the first and second bases in the fifth inning, was replaced when defending in the top of the sixth inning.

Pittsburgh monster starter Paul Skins became the winning pitcher with four hits, two walks, five strikeouts and one run in four innings. Skins, who threw 74 pitches, hit a maximum fastball speed of 99.9 miles and an average of 98.2 miles, indicating that his pitches were back on track. He pitched 10 innings in three spring training games, marking 12 hits and 5 walks, 12 strikeouts and a 3.60 ERA.