San Diego Padres infielder Ha Sung Kim, 28, collapsed on the field after being struck on the inside of his knee by a foul ball. Kim screamed in pain several times after being hit by the pitch, which was especially disturbing because he had been playing through most of his injuries without complaining of any particular pain. Kim was immediately replaced and left the field, but the team still managed to complete the winning series in the top of the ninth inning when O’Dowd hit a dramatic come-from-behind three-run arch.
Kim started the 2023 Major League Baseball (MLB) game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., on June 26 (KST) as the third baseman and seventh hitter, but was forced to leave the game in the top of the second inning due to an unexpected injury. Kim had been in top form the day before, hitting for the cycle in five straight games, including his fifth home run of the season against the Nats, which made his loss all the more devastating.
Kim Ha-sung’s painful injury replacement, I’ve never seen him in so much pain…
The injury happened in the top of the second inning, with the team trailing 0-1. Two outs and no runners on base. Washington’s starting pitcher was Jake Irvin. Kim swung hard at a 93.8 mph (150.9 km/h) sinker deep in the zone in the second inning after letting the first pitch go by, but Ervin’s pitch grazed the underside of Kim’s bat and struck him directly in the left knee.
Kim swings at a deep fastball (red circle) in the second inning, but the pitch hits his knee. /Photo=MLB.com
As soon as Kim was hit in the knee, he fell to the ground in great pain. He screamed several times and held onto his knee, unable to get off the ground easily. He was in that much pain. An interpreter and trainer soon came out to check on him. Kim continued to struggle to get up and was eventually helped off the field by a trainer. He was unable to step on his left foot. He was replaced by substitute Brandon Dixon, who finished the game.
As he walked off the field, the San Diego fans applauded and wished him a speedy recovery. He didn’t even stay in the dugout, but was seen walking down the stairs toward the walkway. It’s unclear exactly what happened to Kim during the game. If the injury is serious, he could be placed on the disabled list. Kim’s batting average this season is 0.237 with an OPS of 0.698.
Given his importance to the team, it’s a big deal for San Diego. Recently, Manny Machado (31), one of the team’s key resources, was placed on the injured list (IL) with a fractured left palmar bone. Kim Ha-seong replaced Machado at third base and played a solid defense. He played solid defense and showed a solid performance.
Kim Ha-seong, second from left, is helped off the field by a trainer after being hit in the knee by a pitch during the second inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals in Seoul, South Korea, on Saturday. /AFPBBNews=News1
Kim Ha-seong (third from left) is helped off the field by a trainer after being hit in the knee by his own bat in the second inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals on Saturday (Sept. 26). He has a very pained look on his face. /AFPBBNews=News1
Kim Ha-seong, second from left, is helped off the field by a trainer after being hit in the knee by a pitch during the second inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals in Seoul, South Korea, on Saturday. /AFPBBNews=News1
‘Five runs in the seventh inning,’ but San Diego’s three-run rally in the bottom of the ninth was ‘drama’
The Nats jumped out to a quick lead in the first inning. Thomas led off with an infield single and moved to second on an error by the third baseman. He moved to third on a wild pitch by San Diego starter Blake Snell and scored one out later on Meneses’안전놀이터 single to right-center field.
San Diego then turned the tables in the top of the next inning. Two batters later, Dixon, who came to bat in place of Kim with an injury, led off with a single to left. The next batter, Grisham, hit a two-run shot over the left field fence (2-1).
After both starters were held scoreless, San Diego broke through with a three-run fifth inning. A leadoff single to left by Tatis Jr. and a walk to Soto a batter later put runners on first and second. A walk by Washington pitcher Machado advanced the runners to second and third, and Bogart singled up the middle (3-1). Two batters later, O’Dowd doubled to left center to make it 5-1.
Fernando Tatis Jr. plays defense against Washington on Saturday. /AFPBBNews=News1
But San Diego couldn’t hold onto the four-run lead. They gave up five runs in the seventh inning alone. After back-to-back singles by leadoff hitter Garcia and Meneses, Candelario doubled, pinch-hitter Dickerson singled to left, and Smith singled to right. The game was down to one run, 5-4.
Cole followed with an infield single, but the pitcher’s throw to first got away, allowing Dickerson to score the tying run from third. A pinch-hit infield single by Ruiz brought home Ruiz from third, making it a 6-5 game.
San Diego battled back, but couldn’t capitalize on a bases-loaded opportunity in the eighth. After Grisham hit into a fielder’s choice, Cruz and Tanis Jr. were retired on back-to-back groundouts.
San Diego’s final offense came in the top of the ninth. Back-to-back singles by leadoff hitter Cronenwirth and Soto put runners on first and second with nobody out, but back-to-back strikeouts by Bogaerts and Carpenter ended the threat. Just as the Washington fans were about to stand and celebrate the victory, San Diego had a hero. The next batter, O’Doherty, was Hunter Harvey. Two pitches after the first pitch. O’Dowd took a 158.7 mph fastball from Harvey. The ball was hit to right field.