Player in focus: Park Sok-min (Samsung Lions)

Home > Sports > Baseball

print dictionary print

Player in focus: Park Sok-min (Samsung Lions)

Samsung Lions’ third baseman Park Sok-min is now in the history book of the Korea Baseball Organization.

In a game against Lotte Giants, Park collected nine RBIs in the Lions’ 17-13 victory at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan on Sunday, which is a new record for most RBIs in a single game. Previously 12 players in KBO marked eight RBIs.

Interestingly, all of Park’s RBIs came from home runs and he could have set an unprecedented “home run cycle” (getting a grand slam, three-run home run, two-run home run and solo shot in one game) which has never happened in professional leagues in Asia.

Park, who joined the Lions in 2004, was hot from the start. In the first inning, the 30-year-old delivered a two-run shot against the Giants starter Brooks Raley. Then in the third, Park hit a triple against the 27-year-old American pitcher. In the fifth, Park delivered a grand slam against Kim Sung-bae to collect nine RBIs.

With only a solo home run left to complete the home run cycle, Park came to bat in the seventh, but as teammate Yamaico Navarro was already on first base, he waited for the next at bat.

In the ninth, Park appeared as the lead off hitter and fans were hoping for solo shot to achieve the home run cycle. However, he hit a grounder to shortstop.

With nine RBIs on Sunday, Park is also having his best season in terms of RBIs. The Golden Glove winner now has 108 RBIs, the first time in his career he is having a three-digit RBI season.

JOO KYUNG-DON [joo.kyungdon@joongang.co.kr]
Log in to Twitter or Facebook account to connect
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
help-image Social comment?
s
lock icon

To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.

Standards Board Policy (0/250자)