'Kim vs. Kim' duel in MLB ends in favor of hitter

▲ In this Associated Press photo, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the San Diego Padres in the bottom of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Petco Park in San Diego on May 16, 2021. (Yonhap)

▲ In this Associated Press photo, San Diego Padres shortstop Kim Ha-seong (L) makes a play at second base ahead of Edmundo Sosa of the St. Louis Cardinals during the top of the second inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Petco Park in San Diego on May 16, 2021. (Yonhap)

MLB-S Korean players

'Kim vs. Kim' duel in MLB ends in favor of hitter

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, May 17 (Yonhap) -- One Kim got the upper hand over the other Kim in Major League Baseball (MLB).

In a rare Korean pitcher-batter duel, Kim Ha-seong of the San Diego Padres drew an RBI walk against Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals at Petco Park in San Diego on Sunday (local time).

With the bases loaded and the Cardinals up 2-1 in the bottom fourth, Kim Ha-seong worked a six-pitch walk against the left-hander to push in the tying run.

Kim Kwang-hyun was pulled from the game after that free pass.

The pitcher Kim struck out the batter Kim to open the third inning. Ha-seong battled Kwang-hyun for eight pitches before going down swinging on a high changeup.

This was the first meeting between a South Korean pitcher and a South Korean batter in the majors since April 2019.

Both Kims were among the biggest stars in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) before taking their talents to the majors -- Kwang-hyun in December 2019 and then Ha-seong one year later -- and they faced each other 31 times in their native country.

Kim Ha-seong batted 10-for-30 with a walk, four RBIs, a double and a run scored against the left-hander. He struck out five times and hit into one double play.

Kim Kwang-hyun came into the game with a 1-0 record and a 2.74 ERA in five starts. The Cardinals had won all five of those games, though the team trailed 4-2 at the end of that disastrous fourth inning.

Kim Ha-seong batted seventh and played shortstop, earning his sixth consecutive start there after incumbent Fernando Tatis Jr. tested positive for COVID-19 last week. Kim had been a utility man for the Padres, having also played at second base and third base as a big league rookie.

Kim entered Sunday's game batting only .195/.236/.293 for the year with two home runs and eight RBIs in 32 games.

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