David McKinnon, a foreign hitter for the Samsung Lions in the Korean Baseball Organization, had a game-winning hit. He hit a game-tying RBI single in the sixth inning to tie the game at 2-2, but it was not enough as his team lost.
Samsung was down 0-2 through five innings in the first game of the season against the LG Twins at Jamsil Stadium on April 26. After missing scoring chances with runners on first and second in the second inning and second and third in the third inning, Samsung started its comeback in the top of the sixth inning with an infield single by Kim Ji-chan of the “63 Duo” and a ball hit to the body of Kim Sung-yoon. Koo Ja-uk grounded out to first, but both runners advanced.
McKinnon at the plate. After leading off the inning with a single to left-center, McKinnon faced LG starter Casey Kelly on a 0B-1S pitch and pulled a two-seam fastball (143 mph) for a three-run double to left field. The speedy 63 duo drove home. McKinnon came home on back-to-back singles by Oh and Ryu. A 3-2 lead.
But Samsung couldn’t hold on to the win.
LG tied the game at 3-3 in the eighth inning on a solo arch by Hong Chang-ki and capped off the dramatic victory with a walk-off sacrifice fly by Moon Sung-joo in the ninth.
McKinnon, who replaced Jose Pirela (outfielder) as Samsung’s center fielder for three years starting in 2021, batted .259 (120-for-464) with 17 home runs, 53 RBIs and 53 runs scored while playing for the Seibu Lions of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball last year.
He is a medium-to-long range right-handed hitter with good vision and contact, and his strengths are not only offense but also solid first base defense. 스포츠토토 McKinnon was a collegiate soccer goalkeeper, recording 166 saves in 55 games.
McKinnon, who hit well in the exhibition game, going 7-for-22 with one home run and one RBI, has continued his hot streak, going 5-for-14 with two home runs, three RBI, and two runs scored in three games.
His first home run isn’t far behind. “It’s all about hitting the ball hard and accurate,” McKinnon said, “and if you do that, the home runs will come naturally. I want to hit a lot of good pitches to the left and right side of the ballpark and hit home runs,” he said.
“Obviously, as a hitter, you want to hit 20-plus home runs every year, so I’d like to hit 20-plus, but I don’t have a numerical goal of how many I want to hit,” he added.