Lee Jung-hoo [Getty Images]
Lee Jung-hoo [Getty Images]

As anger over the South Korean national football team's poor World Cup showing continues to simmer, San Francisco Giants outfielder Lee Jung-hoo has been offering some consolation to disheartened sports fans with a string of standout performances.

Lee started in right field and batted sixth Friday (Korean Standard Time) as the Giants hosted the Athletics at Oracle Park in San Francisco, going 1-for-4 at the plate.

That lone hit carried enormous weight — Lee drove in three runs and scored once.

After going hitless in his first two at-bats, Lee came to the plate in the sixth inning with two outs and the bases loaded, his team trailing 1-2. He turned on a high inside sweeper and drove it to right field, clearing the bases with a go-ahead three-run triple. He later scored on a home run by Victor Bericoto.

San Francisco had built a 6-1 lead, but the bullpen collapsed late and the Giants fell 6-9.

Lee had also impressed Thursday against the Athletics, going 2-for-4 with a multi-hit game and a spectacular defensive play.

The defensive highlight came in the top of the ninth inning, with San Francisco trailing 0-1 and two runners on base with two outs. Athletics batter Jonah Heim sent a ball deep toward the foul line in right field, and Lee made the catch while crashing into the wall. His willingness to risk injury on a difficult play kept the Giants out of deeper trouble, and they went on to hit two home runs in the bottom of the ninth to win 2-1.

The day before that, Lee went 2-for-3 with a walk, a home run, one RBI and one run scored to help power a 3-1 team victory.

Lee is batting .332, second in the majors behind Miami Marlins' Otto Lopez (.340), and fans are growing hopeful he could contend for the batting title. His June average stands at a remarkable .400.

Fans have been rallying around him online, leaving comments such as "I'm soothing my World Cup heartbreak with Lee Jung-hoo," "I can't wait for tomorrow's game," and "There's something genuinely moving about the way he plays."


paq@heraldcorp.com