Pirates' Park Hoy-jun hits 1st home run of season in win

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, June 20 (Yonhap) -- The Pittsburgh Pirates' South Korean infielder Park Hoy-jun has gone deep for the first time this season.

Park smacked a solo home run against the San Francisco Giants in the bottom of the third inning of a 4-3 victory at PNC Park in Pittsburgh on Sunday (local time).

Park jumped on a 2-2 sinker from Giants starter Alex Cobb and cut Pittsburgh's deficit to 2-1. The ball left Park's bat at 102.6 mph and traveled 393 feet over the right center field wall.

Park started at second base and batted ninth. That home run, the fourth of his big league career and first since Sept. 19 last year, came in Park's first trip to the plate in the third inning.

Park put down a sacrifice bunt in the fifth and was lifted for pinch hitter Yu Chang in the seventh.

Park made the Pirates' Opening Day roster but was optioned to Triple-A on April 22, after appearing in just five games.

The 26-year-old was brought back up on May 29 but was sent down to the minors again the very next day.

Park then earned his second callup last Monday and has played in five games since.

Park is batting .333 with a home run and an RBI in June, and .261/.292/.435 with a homer and three RBIs for the season.

The Pirates walked off on the Giants in the bottom of the ninth courtesy of Jack Suwinski's solo homer -- his third of the game.

jeeho@yna.co.kr
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