▲ San Diego Padres' Song Sung-mun
San Diego Padres infielder Song Sung-mun led his team to victory by reaching base multiple times for the first time in three games.
Song started as the ninth-place hitter and third baseman in a home game against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the 2026 Major League Baseball (MLB) regular season, held at Petco Park in San Diego, California, on July 9 (KST). He finished the game with 1 hit, 1 walk, 1 RBI, and 2 runs in 3 at-bats.
This marks the first time in three games that Song has reached base at least twice in a single game, following his performance against the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 6, where he recorded one hit and one walk.
His season batting average rose slightly from .216 to .221 (17 hits in 77 at-bats).
Trailing 0-1 in the bottom of the third inning, Song drew a walk against Arizona starting pitcher Jose Cabrera with one out.
Cabrera consistently pitched to the outside, and Song successfully drew four balls.
Song then reached second base on a surprise bunt infield hit by the next batter, Fernando Tatis Jr. He subsequently stole third base, catching the defense off guard, and scored the tying run on a ground ball to the pitcher by Jackson Merrill.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, with the team leading 2-1, Song led off and was retired on a ground ball to second base. However, he delivered an RBI hit in the bottom of the sixth inning, with the team leading 5-1.
With one out and a runner on second, Song faced Arizona right-handed relief pitcher Taylor Clarke. On a count of 1 ball and 2 strikes, he hit a low changeup for a single to right field.
Song later advanced to second base on a pick-off error by Clarke and scored again on an RBI single to left field by Tatis Jr.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, with the team leading 10-3 and one runner on, he was retired on a ground ball to second base.
San Diego gave up one run in the top of the eighth inning but maintained their lead to win 10-4.
Meanwhile, relief pitcher Go Woo-suk, who was added to the Minnesota Twins roster on July 8, did not make his MLB debut on this day.
Minnesota's home game against the Cleveland Guardians at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota, was a tight contest, and the team did not provide an opportunity for Go, who is not currently in the high-leverage bullpen rotation, to pitch.
Minnesota won the game 6-5.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
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