Lee Jung-hoo of the San Francisco Giants, locked in a tight Major League Baseball (MLB) batting title race, recorded multi-hit games on consecutive days.
Lee started as the No. 6 hitter and right fielder in the 2026 MLB regular-season home game against the Athletics at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California, on Friday (Korea time), going 2-for-4. With Friday's game, Lee's season batting average reached .333 (90 hits in 270 at-bats).
However, batting leader Otto Lopez of the Miami Marlins went 2-for-3 on the day, raising his average to .340 and widening the gap between the two to 7 points (.007).
In his first plate appearance in the second inning, Lee attacked the fifth-pitch fastball from Athletics left-handed starter Gunnar Hoglund and lined a bullet of a double to right field. It was his 19th double of the season. But the following batters failed to bring him home.
After being retired on a line drive in the fifth inning, Lee produced an infield single on a deep grounder toward the second baseman in his third at-bat in the seventh inning. But once again, the next batter could not drive him in.
With the game still scoreless, the Athletics broke the silence in the top of the eighth on a solo home run by Max Muncy. San Francisco faced a threat of giving up more runs with two outs and runners on first and second in the top of the ninth, and there right fielder Lee delivered a spectacular play.
Lee made a brilliant catch on Jonah Heim's deep drive to right field, crashing into the fence to haul it in. The play was the decisive moment that changed the flow of the game.
In the bottom of the ninth, San Francisco's leadoff hitter Rafael Devers hit a game-tying home run, and after two outs, Victor Bericoto drew a walk-off solo arc to win 2-1 in a comeback.
Lee was retired on a fly ball to right field in his final at-bat in the bottom of the ninth, but at the moment of Bericoto's walk-off, he celebrated more than anyone and savored the joy of victory.
