SEOUL– The San Diego Padres’ South Korean shortstop Kim Ha-seong went hitless in his second career major league postseason game, with his club now facing a do-or-die game in the opening stage.

Kim went 0-for-4 with a couple of strikeouts against the New York Mets in the Padres’ 7-3 loss in Game 2 of the National League Wild Card Series at Citi Field in New York on Saturday (local time).
The best-of-three affair will conclude in Game 3 back at Citi Field at 7:07 p.m. Sunday, or 8:07 a.m. Monday in South Korea.

Kim had collected two hits in his postseason debut in Game 1, with the Padres prevailing 7-1. But the Mets returned the favor with a seven-spot of their own, and starter Jacob deGrom fanned eight in six solid innings.

Batting seventh, Kim struck out looking against deGrom leading off the third inning, and grounded out to shortstop in the fourth.

Kim hit into another groundout in the sixth, and struck out in the ninth inning.

At least Kim will play one more game in the series. In the American League, one other South Korean in the postseason, Choi Ji-man of the Tampa Bay Rays, was sent packing after losing to the Cleveland Guardians 1-0 in their Wild Card Series.

Choi, who batted fifth and played first base, went 0-for-3 with a walk. He was 0-for-2 with a walk in a 2-1 loss in Game 1 Friday.

He struck out in the second inning, and flied out in the fifth and the seventh. After leading off the top of the 10th with a walk, Choi was lifted for pinch runner Vidal Brujan.

Oscar Gonzalez finished off the Rays with a series-winning solo home run in the bottom of the 15th.

Choi closed out his fourth postseason appearance without a hit in five at-bats.

Source: Yonhap News Agency