Song Seong-moon, 30, of the San Diego Padres made a striking impression by turning his first Major League hit into a thrilling go-ahead double.
Song started at second base batting ninth in an away game against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California, on Thursday (Korean time) during the 2026 Major League Baseball (MLB) regular season. He delivered a standout performance, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs, two runs scored and a stolen base.
Called up from Triple-A after the team's starting infielder Jake Cronenworth was placed on the 7-day injured list (IL) with concussion symptoms ahead of the game, Song perfectly capitalized on the precious opportunity that came his way.
Song had previously made his big league debut as a pinch-runner against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the "Mexico City Series" on April 27. However, he was sent back down to Triple-A without getting an at-bat, making Thursday's game effectively his Major League debut.
Trailing 4-3 in the top of the fourth inning with two outs and runners on first and second, Song stepped to the plate and launched a booming two-run double off San Francisco starter Logan Webb. The hit instantly flipped the score to 5-4.
It was the moment Song's first Major League hit became a go-ahead double that immediately changed the flow of the game. His bold play did not stop there. He showed savvy by advancing to third on a throwing error by the opposing team, then scored on Jackson Merrill's RBI single to center, enjoying his first big league run.
In the eighth inning with one out, he produced an infield hit on a cleverly placed grounder between the pitcher and first baseman, then showed off his speed by stealing second base. He later came home on another double by Merrill to score his second run of the game.
On the other side of the dugout, junior teammate Lee Jung-hoo, 28, was left with a bitter taste. Lee and Song were teammates on the Kiwoom Heroes in the KBO League.
Starting in right field and batting leadoff, Lee appeared to set the tone by reaching base with a single in his first at-bat in the bottom of the first inning, then scoring the team's first run on Casey Schmitt's two-run homer to left field.
However, the San Francisco mound could not withstand San Diego's formidable firepower and collapsed in the middle innings. Lee failed to add another hit in his subsequent at-bats, finishing 1-for-4 with one RBI and one run. His season batting average now stands at .271.
With the win, San Diego improved to 21-14 and held second place in the National League West, while San Francisco dropped to 14-22 and remained in fourth place in the same division.
