It was a day when Lee Jung-hoo (27) couldn't perform alone. However, San Francisco Giants teammate Tyler Fitzgerald (28) mentioned Lee Jung-hoo and praised his presence.

Lee Jung-hoo started as the third batter and center fielder in the away game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the 15th (Korea time), where he went 0-for-5 with 3 strikeouts.

The day before (14th), he showcased a remarkable performance with 3 hits, including the first back-to-back home runs of his major league debut, 2 RBIs, and 1 walk, leading San Francisco to a 5-4 comeback victory, but one day later, he had a hitless game. This marks the first time Lee Jung-hoo has gone 0-for-5 in the major leagues.

This is also the first time he struck out 3 times in a game in the major leagues. Including his time in the KBO League, it was his second game with 3 strikeouts. It has been 8 years since he had 3 strikeouts in a game, which occurred on August 5, 2018, during his rookie season at the age of 19 against the Lotte Giants while belonging to Nexen (currently Kiwoom).

Although Lee Jung-hoo was silent, San Francisco exploded with 12 hits, including 3 home runs, winning 10-4 against Philadelphia. All eight starting batters, except for Lee Jung-hoo, successfully reached base. Seven hitters had hits, and Ramonte Wade Jr., who also had no hits alongside Lee Jung-hoo, drew 2 walks. Among the starting batters, Lee Jung-hoo was the only one who did not step on first base.

Fitzgerald, who batted second as the 9th batter, also performed well, going 3-for-4 with 3 RBIs, including his first home run of the season. In the 2nd inning, with 1 out and runners on first and second, Fitzgerald hit a three-run home run to turn the game around, followed by a right-field double in the 6th inning and a center-field double in the 9th inning, completing a game without a single.

"MLB.com" reported, "So far, Lee Jung-hoo, Mike Yastrzemski, and Wilmer Flores, who led the batting lineup for San Francisco, are well aware that the performance of the other batters is also needed to maintain future success. Two batters, who had been silent, finally showed signs of bouncing back. Fitzgerald and Willy Adames both hit their first home runs of the season, scoring 6 runs only in the 2nd inning and overcoming a 3-run deficit to win 10-4."

Fitzgerald said, "Our lineup is really well balanced. Now the lower order needs to step up for the upper order. I am happy to contribute to the team's scoring today," and noted, "This season, players like Flores and Lee Jung-hoo are leading our team, and it's important for other players to occasionally chip in. I managed to do that today."

By mentioning the contributions of Lee Jung-hoo, who had led the batting lineup, Fitzgerald expressed satisfaction with fulfilling his role. After starting slowly due to back pain early in spring training, Fitzgerald, whose performance wasn't good early on, said, "Everyone believed in me and supported me. I am really thankful to my teammates and coaching staff who endured with me despite my slow start."

Adames, who joined with a 7-year, $182 million free agent contract last winter, also reported his first home run after the trade and went 2-for-5 with 1 RBI. Before this game, he had an abysmal start with a .186 batting average and an OPS of .506 over 15 games. Adames tasted his first home run in 135 plate appearances throughout the regular and postseason. He stated, "I was a little worried. I thought, 'Has my power disappeared? Can't I hit home runs?' but hitting my first home run eased my mind. I feel like I can now play without pressure and have fun."

Although it's early in the season, San Francisco has started well with a record of 12 wins and 4 losses, ranking 2nd in the major leagues with a .750 winning percentage. Strong teams do not rely on specific players but have all players performing evenly. If key hitters do not perform well, the team can win, which eases the burden and helps them quickly find their rhythm again. Despite going 0-for-5, Lee Jung-hoo enjoyed the team's victory and appreciated his teammates on that day.

[OSEN]