Lee Seung-yeop hits 351st KBO career HR

Asia’s “Home Run King” Lee Seung-yeop is now one homer shy of breaking a Korean record.

The Samsung Lions slugger hit a single home run, his sixth of the season, against the NC Dinos in Changwon on Saturday. That ties Lee with his former teammate Yang Joon-hyuk for the Korea Baseball Organization’s most career home runs, at 351.

Yang, who retired after the 2010 season, set the record during his 2,057th game at the age of 40. Lee reached the feat when he was 36 after playing 1,321 games.

Including his eight-year stint in Japan, Lee has hit 510 home runs. He hit 159 homers with three Nippon Professional Baseball teams - Chiba Lotte Marines, Yomiuri Giants and Orix Buffaloes - between 2004 and 2011.

Lee had 56 homers with the Lions in 2003, setting the Asian record for the most home runs per season.

He failed to break the record yesterday, as he went 0-for-4 against the Dinos in Changwon.

By Moon Gwang-lip