Lee Jung-hoo’s Hitting Streak Reaches Eight Games, but Giants Fall to Reds

by Chung Byeong Uk

April 8, 2025, San Francisco — The South Korean baseball phenomenon Lee Jung-hoo is a talking point again as the the 24-year-old extended his hitting streak to eight games, but his San Francisco Giants fell to the Cincinnati Reds, 2-0, on Sunday afternoon at Oracle Park.

The 25-year-old center fielder, who combined exceptional contact-hitting ability with steady defensive skills, hit third in the Giants’ lineup. Lee stayed calm, still focused, even when he was 0 for 3. In the bottom of the ninth, with two outs and the Giants scraping to mount a comeback, Lee delivered a clean single extending his hit streak and giving fans a reason to cheer in an otherwise quiet night offensively for San Francisco.

In the sixth inning earlier in the game, Lee narrowly missed an extra-base hit. His long fly ball to right-center field  elicited gasps from the home crowd before settling just short of the wall in the glove of the Reds’ Stuart Fairchild.

Though his bat may have needed a few innings to heat up, Lee excelled in the outfield. His defensive instincts were on full display, beginning with an excellent  sliding catch of a low-line drive hit by TJ Friedl in the top of the first inning. Then, in the fifth, he displayed his range and awareness yet again, racing in to make a difficult catch of a shallow fly ball off the bat of Jeimer Candelario.

Lee’s hitting streak is now just three games shy of his previous career-high 11-game streak set during his sensational rookie season in 2024. His plate consistency has been a rather bright spot in the Giants’ early season, and he’s quickly becoming a fan favorite not only in the Bay Area but also among international baseball devotees.

As good as Lee was, the Giants had no offense to back up their pitchers. Reds starting pitcher Hunter Greene delivered a dazzling performance, making San Francisco’s lineup look unfathomably meek with high-velocity fastballs and sharp breaking pitches. The Reds held on for the victory behind big RBIs in the sixth and eighth and closer Alexis Díaz closed the door in the ninth.

The Giants will be looking to bounce back in their next game, but all attention remains focused on Lee Jung-hoo as he seeks another personal milestone. His form now has inspired a feeling that, for the Korean star, the best is yet to come.