Pirates' Kang Jung-ho doubles for 2nd straight start under investigation

Kang Jung-ho of the Pittsburgh Pirates doubled for the second straight start while under a sexual assault investigation.

Kang went 1-for-4 against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on Thursday (local time). He started in the cleanup spot and played third for the second straight game after a news report on Tuesday claimed he was being investigated over a sexual assault allegation in Chicago.

The South Korean is batting .255 for the season. He hasn't homered since June 24 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, a stretch of 10 games. It's the longest such drought in 2016 for Kang, who made his season debut in May after recovering from leg injuries sustained last September.

In the same game, the Cardinals' South Korean relief pitcher, Oh Seung-hwan, pitched a perfect ninth inning to preserve a 5-1 victory for St. Louis.

The former closer in South Korea and Japan, with 355 saves in 11 seasons in Asia, has received the majority of ninth inning duties since All-Star Trevor Rosenthal was removed from the role late last month. Oh has converted both of his save opportunities since.

This was Oh's second straight non-save situation, and he made quick work of the Pirates. He got Matt Joyce to pop out to shortstop, and then retired Josh Harrison and Jordy Mercer on flyouts. Oh made 11 pitches. (Yonhap)