Choo Shin-soo of the Texas Rangers hit a leadoff home run in a loss to the New York Yankees.
The South Korean right-fielder started the game at Yankee Stadium on Thursday (local time) with a homer off Michael Pineda, but it proved to be the only run for the Rangers, which lost 2-1.
It was Choo's fourth home run of the season and first against a right-hander. Choo now has 18 career leadoff blasts.
Choo went hitless the rest of the game, and his 1-for-4 day saw his batting average dip slightly from .273 to .272.
Choo, who battled calf and hamstring injuries earlier in the season, has only played in 22 of the Rangers' 80 games so far.
In another American League game, the Minnesota Twins benched their slumping South Korean infielder Park Byung-ho for the second straight game.
The Twins lost to the host Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field 6-5, as Park watched from the dugout. The first baseman/designated hitter is batting .191 this season, after a dismal 9-for-66 (.136) month of June.
Park appears to be a prime candidate to be sent down to Triple-A Rochester to make room for Miguel Sano, who's expected to return from a minor league rehab stint in the coming days.
Park does have 12 home runs, good for second on the Twins, but hasn't hit one since June 18. It remains his last hit. (Yonhap)