Kim Ha-seong goes hitless as Padres get knocked out of NLCS

▲ In this EPA photo, Kim Ha-seong of the San Diego Padres (R) reacts to a strikeout against the Philadelphia Phillies during the top of the seventh inning of Game 5 of the National League Championship Series at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Oct. 23, 2022. (Yonhap)

▲ In this Getty Images photo, San Diego Padres shortstop Kim Ha-seong makes a throw to first base during the bottom of the third inning of Game 5 of the National League Championship Series at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Oct. 23, 2022. (Yonhap)

MLB postseason-S Korean player

Kim Ha-seong goes hitless as Padres get knocked out of NLCS

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Oct. 24 (Yonhap) -- Kim Ha-seong of the San Diego Padres has ended his first major league postseason with a hitless day at the plate.

The South Korean shortstop, batting seventh, went 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts in the Padres' 4-3 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series (NLCS) at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Sunday (local time).

The Phillies won the best-of-seven series 4-1 and will play in their first World Series since 2009.

Kim struck out in the third and the seventh innings, and popped out to catcher in the fifth. With the Padres down 4-3 in the top of the ninth and a runner at first, Kim drew a one-out walk to put two aboard.

A sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position with two outs, but Austin Nola flied out to right field to end the Padres' postseason.

This was Kim's first postseason trip in the majors, and he was the last South Korean left standing in October, following an early elimination for the Tampa Bay Rays and their first baseman Choi Ji-man. Kim finished with a .186/.286/.256 line in 12 games with three RBIs, six walks and eight runs. He tied Trent Grisham for the Padres lead in runs scored.

Kim became the fourth South Korean player to record a postseason hit and the first South Korean to steal a base in a postseason game.

He has committed to play in exhibition games in his native South Korea in November as part of the "MLB World Tour: Korea Series."

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