Kim Hye-sung's awkward smile after missing a fly → No hit in 4 at-bats, 4 consecutive LAD shocks on a very difficult day
May 20, 2025
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In the home game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium on the 20th (Korea time), Kim Hye-sung's defensive mistake cost him the early lead and eventually kneeled 5-9.
After being swept three consecutive home games against the Los Angeles Angels on the 17th and 19th, the Dodgers, who lost again on the same day, recorded their first four consecutive losses this season, marking 29 wins and 19 losses. Still maintained the NL West lead, but is struggling at the threshold of 30 wins. It is 0.5 games behind the second-place San Diego Padres (27-18), and one game behind the third-place San Francisco Giants (28-20).
Despite Shohei Ohtani's solo home run and Mookie Betts' performance, who also hit two solo shots, the Dodgers played a dragged game as Kim Hye-sung's poor batting judgment combined with starter Jack Drier (3 hits and 3 runs in 2 innings) and second pitcher Landon Ngak (four runs in 5 innings).
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Kim Hye-sung made a double in the first inning when he lost the drop point while trying to catch a fly hit by No. 4 Eugenio Suarez with one out and runners on the first and second bases.
When Suarez's ball soared high at a launch angle of 46 degrees and a batting speed of 96.3 miles, Lee Jung-hoo slowly came forward and made a gesture to catch it. But at some point, he looked embarrassed when he saw right fielder Teoscar Hernandez approaching the right-center as he lost the ball.
The ball landed next to Theosca without even a moment to use his hands. A double was given on the record, and second baseman Ketel Marte homered. Kim Hye-sung smiled awkwardly as Theosca exchanged words. Arizona went on to take a 2-0 lead when even Luerdes Gurriel homered on Josh Naylor's grounder to second base. Kim Hye-sung's mistake at the drop point was crucial.
Kim Hye-sung was silent with no hits in four at-bats, so he did not contribute to the team on this day. Kim Hye-sung, whose hit streak ended for three consecutive games, saw his batting average fall to 0.400 (14 hits in 35 at-bats), and his OPS also collapsed to 0.946.
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Ohtani hit a solo home run to the left side without a runner in the bottom of the sixth inning, trailing 1-7.
On the ball count 1B1S, Arizona right-hander Brandon Part's third pitch outside 84-mile sweeper hit well over the left fence. The ball, which flew at a firing angle of 28 degrees and a batting speed of 107.4 miles, hit 389 feet away from the stands beyond the left fence.
Ohtani, who drew an arch in three days since his solo shot to the middle wall in the bottom of the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Angels on the 17th, added 10 home runs in May alone.
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Ohtani hit his 17th home run of last season against the Texas Rangers on June 13, his team's 69th game. Compared to the number of team games, 21 games are fast this year. Last year, he hit 12 in June and August, respectively, and 10 after September, showing a faster pace toward the second half of the season.
Ohtani, who scored one hit, one RBI and one run in four at-bats, marked a batting average of 0.312 (58 hits in 186 at-bats), 17 homers, 31 RBIs, 51 runs, an on-base percentage of 0.406, a slugging percentage of 0.672, OPS 1.078, 29 long hits, and 125 hits. Together, the two leagues rank No. 1 in home runs and runs, and No. 1 in slugging percentage, slugging, and slugging in the NL.
Philadelphia Phillies Kyle Schwarber hit a solo home run in the top of the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies on the same day, beating Mark with 16 and Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees and Caroly (15 more) of the Seattle Mariners. In the middle of the season, the home run race continues to be a four-way race between Ohtani, Schwarber, Judge and Raleigh.
Ohtani ranked No. 1 in AL home runs when he was with the Los Angeles Angels in 2023 and moved to the Dodgers last year to become No. 1 in NL home runs. This season, he is aiming for the unified home run king.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
