Pittsburgh Pirates’ Bae Ji-hwan showed his strengths in extra innings to help his team win the game.
Bae started at first base and second base and went 1-for-5 against the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2023 Major League Baseball (MLB) World Series at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, on Sunday. His season batting average dropped slightly from .240 to .239.
Pittsburgh’s lineup was Bae Ji-Hwan (second base)-Brian Reynolds 메이저놀이터(left field)-Kevin Hayes (third base)-Conor Jo (right field)-Jack Swinski (center field)-Andy Rodriguez (designated hitter)-Robert Peguero (shortstop)-Alphonso Rivas (first base)-Jason Delay (catcher). Mitch Keller was the starter.
Bae Ji-hwan remained silent, unable to change the frustrating flow. He grounded out in three straight at-bats and struck out in the fourth. Pittsburgh, which opened the scoring in the second inning on Rivas’ RBI double, was unable to capitalize, and the game reached a lull after Wilson Contreras’ solo shot in the bottom of the sixth.
The game would go to extra innings, with Pittsburgh breaking the 1-1 tie in the top of the 10th. After an infield single by Peguero put runners on first and third, Pittsburgh took the lead on an RBI single by Andrew McCutchen and later added a run on a wild pitch. With two outs, Bae Ji-hwan reached on an infield single, sending McCutchin to third, and Pittsburgh tacked on a run on a sacrifice fly by Reynolds with runners on first and third.
After a pitching change, Bae stole second base for his 22nd stolen base of the season. However, he was unable to score as Hayes grounded out to second base.
With a three-run lead, Pittsburgh called on closer David Bednar for the bottom of the 10th. After a Ras Nouba walk, Paul Goldschmidt gave up a run on a sacrifice fly, but Bednar got out of the inning with no further damage. A 4-2 Pittsburgh victory. Coincidentally, the Nuba-Goldschmidt-Nolan Gorman trio all hit Bae Ji-hwan, who moved his defense to center field.
With the valuable win, Pittsburgh improved to 62-for-73 (.459) and extended its winning streak to four games. “Ace” Keller did his part with six innings of five-hit ball (one homer), three walks and eight strikeouts, while the bullpen behind him put together a scoreless relay. Bednar, who worked the bottom of the 10th, earned his 30th save of the season.