The Chicago Cubs drafted Jae-Hoon Ha out of his high school in Jin Ju City, Korea in 2008, and the outfielder hit .265 with 38 home runs in six major league seasons. Ha climbed his way up to Triple-A, but never got called up to the major leagues.
“He played a long time in the system and saw some time in Triple-A, but it’s tough to get to the big leagues,” manager Gary Van Tol said of Ha.
Ha, who always had a strong throwing arm, now finds himself back in Single-A, only this time as a pitcher. He tossed a scoreless eighth and ninth inning in the Eugene Emeralds’ 7-4 win over the Tri-City Dust Devils at PK Park Saturday night.
Ha hadn’t pitched since his playing days in Korea prior to this season, but earned his second win with the stakes high in just his third outing.
“Win or lose, that’s the guy I wanted on the mound just because of his experience,” Van Tol said. “We go back a long way, and I knew he wasn’t going to panic.”
The Emeralds provided early run support to starting pitcher Jose Paulino, who allowed five hits and three runs (all earned) in 5 2/3 innings in his first Single-A level start last week, a no-decision at the Everett Aquasox. Ian Happ, the 2015 MLB Draft’s ninth overall selection, stole second base and Matt Rose drove him home with a two-out single. Rose, who went 2-4 with an RBI in his professional debut Friday, scored Eugene’s second run on Tyson Alamo’s RBI-single to center.
The Emeralds tacked on two more in the second when Frandy De La Rosa singled up the middle, stole second and third base and came around to score on Eloy Jimenez’s line drive base hit. Jimenez went 3-3 with a walk and RBI and has hit in six of his last seven games. Happ followed with a sacrifice fly to score Donny Dewees, who debuted in the lead-off spot.
Tri-City’s Luis Urias singled to lead off the third, and clean-up hitter Carlos Belen brought him home on a double to left. The Dust Devils tallied one more run but their rally came to an end when Belen was doubled off third on a popout to second baseman De La Rosa.
Right-hander Alex Santana relieved Paulino after five innings, six hits and three runs (all earned), and watched the tying run plate on catcher Alamo’s passed ball in the eighth.
2015 20th round selection Blake Headley broke the 4-4 tie with a frozen rope to left center which brought Kevonte Mitchell home in the bottom of the eighth.
“It was a struggle to get there,” said Headley, who grounded out to the pitcher three times before coming up with the clutch base hit. “That’s the funny thing about baseball—next at bat you do something good. You’ve just got to keep playing the game.”
Alamo scored from third the following play on Vimael Machin’s productive groundout, then Headley came around on De La Rosa’s single, providing Ha a three-run lead heading into the ninth.
The Emeralds (5-5) have now won four straight contests and can clinch the five-game home series against the Dust Devils with a win Sunday at 5 p.m.