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Pirates’ Kang Jung-ho enjoys first 3-hit game of season

May 26, 2016

In this Associated Press photo, Kang Jung-ho of the Pittsburgh Pirates stands in the batter’s box against the Arizona Diamondbacks in their Major League Baseball game in Pittsburgh on May 26, 2016.

SEOUL, (Yonhap) — Kang Jung-ho of the Pittsburgh Pirates enjoyed his first three-game of the season Thursday (local time) against the Arizona Diamondbacks at home.

Batting cleanup, the South Korean third baseman went 3-for-5 with two RBIs, as the Pirates beat the D-backs 8-3 at PNC Park.

Park is now batting .298 (14-for-47) with 14 RBIs in 16 games since returning from leg injuries he suffered last fall. Nine of his 14 hits have gone for extra bases, giving him a robust slugging percentage of .702.

After grounding out in the first inning, Kang doubled off starter Patrick Corbin in the third inning.

He flied out in the fifth but went back at it in the seventh with a single off Randall Delgado. Then with the bases loaded and the Pirates nursing a 5-3 lead in the eighth, Park laced a two-run single off Evan Marshall to give his club more breathing room.

Starling Marte followed up with an RBI double to round out the scoring.

Kang had six three-hit games in his rookie year in 2015.

Kang only made his 2016 debut on May 6, after rehabbing from serious leg injuries sustained in a hard takeout slide at second base last September. He homered twice in his first game and has been swinging the bat well ever since.

Kang has also shaken off a left wrist injury following a home-plate collision with Colorado Rockies catcher Tony Wolters last Saturday.