Padres' Kim Ha-seong hitless in NLCS loss

▲ In this USA Today Sports photo via Reuters, San Diego Padres shortstop Kim Ha-seong fields a ground ball against the Philadelphia Phillies during the top of the fifth inning of Game 1 of the National League Championship Series at Petco Park in San Diego on Oct. 18, 2022. (Yonhap)

▲ In this Getty Images photo, San Diego Padres shortstop Kim Ha-seong runs onto the field during player introductions before Game 1 of the National League Championship Series against the Philadelphia Phillies at Petco Park in San Diego on Oct. 18, 2022. (Yonhap)

MLB postseason-S Korean

Padres' Kim Ha-seong hitless in NLCS loss

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Oct. 19 (Yonhap) -- San Diego Padres shortstop Kim Ha-seong went hitless in his first National League Championship Series (NLCS) game, with the rest of his club getting held to one hit the entire game in a loss.

Batting seventh, Kim went 0-for-3 with three flyouts as the Padres felt to the Philadelphia Phillies 2-0 in Game 1 of the best-of-seven series at Petco Park in San Diego on Tuesday (local time).

Philles starter Zack Wheelers tossed seven innings of one-hit ball, and the bullpen shut down the Padres over two hitless frames for the win.

Game 2 is back at Petco Park at 1:35 p.m. Wednesday in San Diego, or 5:35 a.m. Thursday in South Korea.

Kim, the only South Korean player remaining this postseason, flied out to center in the second inning and popped out to first base in the fifth inning, immediately after Wil Myers ended Wheeler's no-hit bid with a single.

In the eighth, Kim popped out to third base against reliever Seranthony Dominguez.

Kim is batting .172/.273/.276 with an RBI, four walks and seven runs scored in eight postseason games so far. He is tied with teammate Trent Grisham and Phillies designated hitter Bryce Harper for the major league lead in the runs department.

Kim is trying to become just the second South Korean position player to appear in the World Series, after Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Choi Ji-man in 2020.

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