Kim Ha-seong stays quiet in final game of NLCS

Baseball

Published: 24 Oct. 2022, 10:01 Updated: 24 Oct. 2022, 15:18

Kim Ha-seong stays quiet in final game of NLCS

Kim Ha-seong of the San Diego Padres at bat during the seventh inning against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Sunday. [AFP/YONHAP]

The San Diego Padres’ postseason run ended abruptly on Sunday when the Philadelphia Phillies came from behind in the eighth inning to win Game 5 of the National League Championship Series and a World Series berth.

The Padres’ Korean shortstop Kim Ha-seong, playing in his first ever MLB postseason, stayed quiet throughout the final game, going 0-for-3 with a walk, two strikeouts and a pop out.

After a slow start to the game, the Phillies pulled ahead at the bottom of the third with a Rhys Hopkins home run also bringing in Kyle Schwarber.

Juan Soto pulled one back for the Padres with a long fly of his own at the top of the fourth, and then Josh Bell brought home Jake Cronenworth with a double at the top of the seventh to tie the score.

Jose Azocar was brought on to pinch run for Bell, making it home on two wild pitches to give the Padres a one-run lead.

That lead lasted for one inning. The Phillies strung together a single and a Bryce Harper home run to take the lead back at the end of the eighth, ultimately winning the game when the Padres failed to reply at the top of the ninth.

With the win, the Phillies take the series 4-1 and advance to the World Series where they will face the Houston Astros, who swept the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series.

Kim was the only Korean competing in the playoffs after Choi Ji-man and the Tampa Bay Rays were eliminated in the Wildcard series.

Kim finished his first postseason with a .186 batting average, eight hits, three RBIs, six walks and one stolen base. Although he was relatively quiet at bat, Kim proved especially productive on the bases, crossing the plate eight times to tie with Trent Grisham for the most runs scored.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]