Rays' Kim Ha-seong blasts season's 1st homer

Kim Ha-seong of the Tampa Bay Rays is congratulated by teammates after scoring against the Detroit Tigers during the clubs' Major League Baseball regular-season game at Comerica Park in Detroit, Mich., July 9. Reuters-Yonhap

Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Kim Ha-seong has hit his first home run of the season, signaling a full recovery from shoulder surgery he underwent in October.

Kim launched a two-run shot to help his team secure a 2-1 comeback victory over the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston on Thursday (local time).

The homer, which cleared the venue's iconic "Green Monster," marked Kim's first of the season and underscored his re-emergence as a key offensive contributor for the Rays.

In Thursday's game, the South Korean infielder had grounded out to shortstop in his first at-bat in the second inning before connecting on his season-opening home run.

With the blast, he extended his hitting streak to four consecutive games, raising his season batting average to .385.