Doosan Bears outfielder Lee Jong-wook hit for the cycle Saturday in a 13-5 win over the LG Twins.

The speedster, who went 4-for-5 with four RBIs in the Seoul-derby, became the 14th player to accomplish the feat in the 28-year history of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) and the second Bear after retired Lim Hyung-seok did so in 1992

Major League Baseball (MLB) has witnessed 276 cycles from 215 players, while the Japanese league has produced 64.

The 28-year-old Lee led off the game with a double, walked in the second inning and hit a single off Twins right-hander Choi Won-ho in the third.

Lee, who has lofted the ball over the fence just twice in the past three years, connected for his first home run of the season in the fifth.

The record-setting performance was capped in his fifth at-bat in the seventh, when Lee had a triple off reliever Lee Jae-young down the right field line.

``It is still unbelievable that I achieved such a record. It is my honor to join the list,'' Lee said.

``During the game, I talked about it with teammates. Frankly speaking, I was aware of myself approaching the record.''

Lee, out of Yeungnam University in Daegu, made his debut with the Bears in 2006 after being released by the Hyundai Unicorns, the forerunner of the Heroes, in 2005.

In his four-year career in the league, he has batted .303 with 407 hits and 265 runs and has stolen base 149 times.

Lee established himself as a top-tier outfielder in the Korean team's run to a gold medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, and was expected to offer a solid display at the World Baseball Classic last month.

But the left-swinger struggled during the tournament, going 3-for-19 and he saw his opportunities limited after the slump knocked him down the pecking order.

Lee has returned to form this season, posting six RBIs and four stolen bases with a batting average of .364.


article date: April 12, 2009
source: ksw@koreatimes.co.kr
By Kang Seung-woo
credits: aeinsshi