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Kang Jung-ho, Choo Shin-soo heating up!

May 10, 2015

Pirates’ Korean IF hits 2nd home run of the season and Rangers OF belts 2 doubles to extend hitting streak to 10 games

Pittsburgh Pirates’ Jung Ho Kang (27) is greeted by third base coach Rick Sofield (41) after hitting a solo home run off St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Tyler Lyons, background left, in the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 10, 2015, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

(Yonhap) — Pittsburgh Pirates’ Korean infielder Kang Jung-ho hit his first home run at home Sunday against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Kang hit a solo shot in the bottom of the first inning at PNC Park as part of his 2-for-4 day at the plate. It was Kang’s second long ball of his first Major League Baseball (MLB) season and his first before the home crowd.

In the seventh, Kang broke the 3-3 deadlock with a one-out single to left. The Pirates held on for a 4-3 victory in the rubber match against the National League Central rival.

Kang batted second and started at third base. In the opening frame, he took a 0-2 fastball by southpaw Tyler Lyons over the left field wall to put the Pirates on the board.

Kang lined out to short in the third and struck out in the fifth, before knocking in the game-winning run in the seventh.

He is now batting .333 with two home runs and nine RBIs. He’s hitting .385 as a starter, after going 4-for-8 in the past two games against the Cardinals.

Over in St. Petersburg, Florida, Texas Rangers outfielder Choo Shin-soo extended his hitting streak to 10 games against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Leading off for the Rangers, the right fielder went 2-for-4 with two doubles, raising his average to .183. The Rangers won 2-1.

Choo, who batted a miserable .096 in April, with five hits in 52 at-bats, is batting .293 in May, having gone 12-for-41. He has picked up an extra-base hit in eight of his 10 games this month.

After striking out in the first against Jake Odorizzi, Choo hit a double down the right field line in the third against the right-hander.

In the fifth, Choo added a ground-rule double off Odorizzi over the right field wall.

Choo lined out to second in the seventh. In the eighth, Carlos Peguero shifted over from left field to right field to replace Choo, and Jake Smolinski took over in left field.