SAN FRANCISCO — The historic hitting streak that captivated baseball fans across South Korea and San Francisco has finally come to an end.

Jung-hoo Lee (28, San Francisco Giants) saw his franchise-altering and record-breaking hitting streak snapped at 18 games on Friday, June 12 (local time), during a home matchup against the Chicago Cubs at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California.

Entering the game as the starting right fielder and batting fifth, Lee went 0-for-3 at the plate. The hitless outing marked the first time since mid-May that the 28-year-old outfielder failed to record a hit in a game. His incredible 18-game streak, which began on May 15 against the Los Angeles Dodgers and extended through June 11 against the Washington Nationals, officially stands as the longest consecutive hitting streak by a South Korean player in Major League Baseball (MLB) history.

Following the quiet night, Lee’s season batting average saw a slight dip from .338 to .333. His OPS (On-base Plus Slugging) also decreased from .829 to .819.

Facing Cubs starting pitcher Javier Assad in the bottom of the second inning with the game tied 0-0, Lee led off but grounded out to first base. His most frustrating moment came in the bottom of the fourth with two outs and a runner on third. Trailing 0-2, Lee ripped a sharp, hard-hit ground ball, but it was expertly scooped up by the Cubs' second baseman, wiping out a crucial scoring opportunity.

In his final plate appearance in the bottom of the seventh with one out, Lee faced left-handed sidearm reliever Hoby Milner, flying out to right field. The Giants struggled to find any offensive rhythm throughout the night, ultimately falling to the Cubs 1-5.

Meanwhile, in New York, fellow countryman Ha-seong Kim (31, Atlanta Braves) also had a difficult day at the plate. Returning to the lineup after a six-day absence, Kim started as the shortstop and batted eighth against the New York Mets. He finished the night 0-for-2 with one walk, causing his seasonal batting average to slide down to .093.

Despite the temporary pauses for both Korean stars, Lee’s historic 18-game milestone has firmly established his identity as an elite, elite-contact hitter on the Major League stage.

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