(LEAD) Padres' Kim Ha-seong collects 1st MLB hit, RBI

▲ In this Getty Images photo, Kim Ha-seong of the San Diego Padres (R) celebrates with first base coach Wayne Kirby after hitting a single against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the bottom of the third inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Petco Park in San Diego on April 3, 2021. (Yonhap)

▲ In this Associated Press photo, Kim Ha-seong of the San Diego Padres hits an RBI single against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the bottom of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Petco Park in San Diego on April 3, 2021. (Yonhap)

▲ In this Getty Images photo, Kim Ha-seong of the San Diego Padres takes a lead from second base against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the bottom of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Petco Park in San Diego on April 3, 2021. (Yonhap)

(LEAD) MLB-hitter

(LEAD) Padres' Kim Ha-seong collects 1st MLB hit, RBI

(ATTN: UPDATES with final score, stats in paras 3, 8-12; ADDS photos)

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, April 4 (Yonhap) -- It was a day of firsts for the San Diego Padres' South Korean infielder Kim Ha-seong.

In his first major league start against the Arizona Diamondbacks in San Diego on Saturday (local time), Kim also picked up his first hit and RBI.

He ended the game 2-for-4 with an RBI and a strikeout. The Padres prevailed 7-0.

Kim got the start at second base and batted sixth at Petco Park. Kim had come off the bench on Opening Day on Thursday but struck out swinging. He sat out the next game before getting the call to start the game Saturday.

With the regular first baseman Eric Hosmer taking the day off, the usual second baseman Jake Cronenworth slid over to first base, leaving second base open for Kim.

Kim stepped up with two outs in the first, and the Padres were up 1-0 with runners at first and second base against starter Caleb Smith. Kim fell behind 0-2 in the count, but fouled off a pitch before taking three straight balls.

Kim then drilled a four-seam fastball, clocked at 91.8 miles per hour, through the hole in left to drive Wil Myers in from second base.

Kim led off the bottom third with a sharp single to left, with Smith still on the mound for the Diamondbacks. But Kim was stranded there as the next three San Diego hitters went down in order.

Kim came up for the third time in the bottom fourth, at two outs with runners at first and second, and with a new pitcher, Riley Smith, on the mound.

Kim worked the count to full again but got called out on strikes this time, with a 93.1 mph sinker catching the upper part of the zone.

Kim's fourth plate appearance came in the bottom sixth, with the Padres ahead 7-0 and a runner at second base with two outs. With Riley Smith still pitching, Kim fell behind 0-2, saw two straight balls, and then popped out to first base to end the inning.

The Padres made a double switch in the top seventh to take Kim out of the game. Cronenworth moved over to second base to take Kim's spot. Jurickson Profar was inserted into the ninth spot to replace pitcher Joe Musgrove in the batting order, while taking over first base from Cronenworth. New pitcher Ryan Weathers was penciled in as the new No. 6 hitter, a spot formerly occupied by Kim.

Kim signed a four-year, US$28 million contract with the Padres in December, following seven successful seasons with the Kiwoom Heroes in the Korea Baseball Organization.

In Korea, Kim had mostly played shortstop, with some cameo appearances at third base, but the Padres see him as a utility man. The left side of the infield is already accounted for, with MVP candidate Manny Machado at the hot corner and up-and-coming franchise star Fernando Tatis Jr. manning shortstop.

Cronenworth, a finalist for the Rookie of the Year award last year, beat Kim for the regular second base gig in spring training, as the South Korean batted only 7-for-42 with no extra-base hits.

Kim saw action in four different positions during spring: second base, shortstop, third base and left field.

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