Choi Ji-man, Bae Ji-hwan become first Korean teammates to homer in an MLB game

Baseball

Published: 12 Apr. 2023, 13:39 Updated: 12 Apr. 2023, 17:27

Choi Ji-man, Bae Ji-hwan become first Korean teammates to homer in an MLB game

Pittsburgh Pirates' Bae Ji-hwan celebrates at home plate after hitting a game-winning, three-run home run against the Houston Astros during the ninth inning of a game in Pittsburgh on Tuesday. [AP/YONHAP]

Choi Ji-man and Bae Ji-hwan of the Pittsburgh Pirates became the first Korean teammates to go deep in the same game on Tuesday, hammering a home run each over the wall as the Pirates beat the Houston Astros 7-4 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.

Choi homered in the sixth inning off starter Cristian Javier, his second long ball of the season coming just a day after he first went deep on Monday. That home run broke a 2-2 tie to help the Pirates start building toward their late-inning win.

That solo effort was joined by a huge three-run walk-off home run from Bae in the ninth that secured the victory just minutes after the Astros had tied things up at the top of the inning.

Pittsburgh Pirates' Bae Ji-hwan hits a game-winning home run against the Houston Astros during the ninth inning at PNC Park in Pittsburgh on Tuesday. [USA TODAY/YONHAP]

The home run was 23-year-old Bae’s first long ball at PNC Park, but second of the season — and indeed the second of his entire major league career. The young Korean infielder went deep at Fenway Park in Boston on April 4.

Choi, batting in the three-hole spot, went two-for-four in the game, with a double in the opening frame. Bae, batting lead-off, went one-for-five.

Pittsburgh Pirates' Choi Ji-man reacts after hitting a double in the first inning against the Houston Astros at PNC Park in Pittsburgh on Tuesday. [AFP/YONHAP]

Choi and Bae, playing together in Pittsburgh for the first time this season, have both been a regular fixture so far in the early days of the season.

Choi, now in his eighth season in the big leagues, is batting .148 with four hits, two RBIs and two home runs on his line, while Bae is batting .242 with eight hits, six RBIs and two homers.

Bae signed with the Pirates in 2018 after an abortive attempt to join the Atlanta Braves a year earlier that was voided due to fraudulent contract negotiations. He spent years in the minors before making his big league debut on Sept. 23 last year.

Appearing in 10 games for the Pirates last season, Bae recorded a solid .333 batting average with 11 hits and six RBIs in 33 at bats.

Choi Ji-man, left, and Jack Suwinski, right, douse Bae Ji-hwan, center, after Bae hit a walk-off three-run home run for a 7-4 win over the Houston Astros at PNC Park in Pittsburgh on Tuesday. [AFP/YONHAP]

Choi, a big league veteran, spent the last three and a half seasons playing with the Tampa Bay Rays in Florida. He was traded to the Pirates in November, marking his fifth major league club after earlier spells with the Milwaukee Brewers, New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angels.

Once a versatile utility man, Choi, now 31, tends to play at either first base or as a designated hitter, relying more on his slugging prowess than his defensive abilities. Now in his seventh season in the MLB, Choi has a career .238 batting average with 63 home runs and 231 RBIs to his name, making him one of the most prolific Korean hitters ever to play in the majors.

With the win, the Pirates sit in second in the National League Central with seven wins and four losses as of press time Wednesday, one game behind the Brewers. The Pittsburgh team has one more game to play against the Astros before heading to Missouri to take on the St. Louis Cardinals over the weekend.

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