Two Korean sluggers hit first MLB home runs

Park Byung-ho(left) and Lee Dae-ho

• Published Apr 9, 2016 5:09 PM KST
• Updated Apr 9, 2016 5:09 PM KST

By Ko Dong-hwan

Two South Korean baseball players on Major League Baseball (MLB) teams recorded their first home runs in the big leagues, Friday (local time).

Park Byung-ho of the Minnesota Twins hit a one run homer in the top of the 8th against the Kansas City Royals. The home run broke a 2-2 tie.

Park made his third appearance of the season as the designated hitter, 6th in the batting order.

Lee Dae-ho of the Seattle Mariners also hit a one run homer in the home opener against the Oakland Athletics.

Batting eighth in the order in his third MLB game, he hit the home run in the fifth inning.

Park and Lee have the record for their first homers in the least number of games for Korean players in MLB.

The previous record was held by Choi Hee-seop, who recorded his first MLB homer in his fifth game with the Chicago Cubs in 2002.