Professional baseball player Moon Jung-bin of the LG Twins dramatically marked his first hit with a pinch-hit home run.

On the 23rd, Moon Jung-bin entered as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the eighth inning during a home game against the Lotte Giants at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul.

LG was leading 5-1 when, in the bottom of the eighth inning, Park Dong-won hit an RBI single and Koo Bon-hyeok hit a two-run triple, extending the lead to 8-1. As the score gap widened, Moon Jung-bin received a pinch-hit opportunity in the at-bat of Hong Chang-ki.

With two outs and a runner on third, Moon Jung-bin faced Lotte's bullpen pitcher Koo Seung-min, connecting a forkball with a 2 balls-1 strike count and hitting a two-run homer over the left field wall.

The home run had a ball speed of 174.1 km/h and a distance of 130.4 m. It was the fifth home run of the day for LG's batters. The atmosphere at Jamsil Stadium was enthusiastic once again. It felt a bit special. It was Moon Jung-bin's first hit. He made an unforgettable moment by hitting his first hit as a pinch-hit home run.

After the game, Moon Jung-bin said, "As soon as I hit it, I thought it might go over. But since it was my first time, I felt a bit flustered even while running. I didn’t know if I would get to play today, but I was prepared. I went out and got a good result, and I’m honored to have contributed, even a little, to the team's victory."

He also mentioned about the home run pitch, saying, "The pitch I targeted today was one I swung at a lot on the outside corner yesterday, so I entered thinking to focus on inside or middle pitches. Luckily, that pitch came, and I got a good result."

Moon Jung-bin also appeared as a pinch hitter the day before during the opening game. It was a similar situation. In the bottom of the eighth, with LG leading 10-2, he entered for Park Hae-min in his first plate appearance in the first team. Moon Jung-bin recorded a strikeout swinging against Kim Sang-soo.

Moon Jung-bin stated, "Yesterday (the 22nd) was my first plate appearance, so I was so nervous that it felt like my legs weren't mine. The seniors advised me not to think about yesterday's results and to show the ability I have today, which led to good hitting. I'm grateful."

Moon Jung-bin, who joined the team as the 77th pick in the 2nd round of the 2022 draft, had not played a single game in the first team until last year.

He played in the Futures League in 2022 and served in the military. He was discharged last year and hit impressively in the Futures League. In 28 games in the Futures League, he recorded a batting average of .489 (46 hits in 94 at-bats). He hit 6 home runs, 9 doubles, and 3 triples, totaling 18 extra-base hits. He had an on-base percentage of .529, slugging percentage of .840, and an OPS of 1.369. Although it's a Futures League record, he shows the potential of a right-handed slugger.

Manager Yeom Kyung-yeop kept an eye on Song Chan-eui and Moon Jung-bin during spring camp and expected them to play backup roles this season. He quickly recorded his first hit in the first team, and it was a significant home run, raising expectations.

Meanwhile, Moon Jung-bin, who joyfully recorded his first home run, was immediately handed the home run ball. The fan who caught the ball in the outfield happened to be an LG fan. Moon Jung-bin invited the fans who caught his home run ball onto the field to take commemorative photos together and gifted them signed baseballs.

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