Los Angeles Angels Shohei Ohtani showed off his splendor with the most strikeouts in an individual game this season.
However, he was unable to tie the win with four runs. Instead, he contributed to the team’s victory by driving in three hits at bat.
On the 4th (Korean time), Ohtani started as a starting pitcher and third batter in an away game against the 2023 Major League Baseball (MLB) St. Louis Cardinals held at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
His performance as a pitcher was 5 hits (2 home runs), 1 walk, 13 strikeouts and 4 runs in 5 innings. It tied the record for the most strikeouts in an individual game since his big league debut.
On June 23 last year, he had 13 strikeouts against the Kansas City Royals. Thanks to this, he stepped on the 500th strikeout in his big league career. However, his season earned run average rose significantly from 1.85 to 2.54 with many runs.
While Ohtani digested 97 pitches, 52 of them, more than half of the pitches, were ‘transformation slider’ sweepers. Fastballs (36), splitters (5), and sinkers (4) followed.
‘Hitter’ Ohtani’s performance was 3 hits, 1 RBI and 1 run in 5 at-bats, including 1 double, and was responsible for the most hits in the team. His batting average rose significantly from 0.294 to 0.307, and re-entered the 30% batting average two weeks after the 19th of last month.
Ohtani was crooked from the start. At the end of the first inning, in the second company, he dedicated the first point by being hit by a solo gun in the middle of the month by surprised Gorman. At the beginning of the 3rd inning, when the match was 1-1, he made up for the loss by hitting a timely hit with 1 run on 1st and 3rd base, but gave up 1 RBI and 2 bases to Wilson Contreras in the top of the 4th inning, followed by a two-run four to Dylan Carlson. Losses quickly multiplied.스포츠토토
However, Ohtani fulfilled his duty as a starting pitcher by leading 5 innings responsibly, and Jake Lam and Mike Trout’s home run in the top of the 9th inning, which was leading 3-4, escaped the loss crisis.
He also hit a double and laid the groundwork for an extra run, and when the follow-up hitter Anthony Rendon hit home, he widened the gap to 6-4. Season 5 wins were postponed to the next opportunity, but the last one was a ‘happy ending’.
The Angels, who are in second place in the American League West, have won three straight games, narrowing the gap with the Texas Rangers, who are leading the league, by 1.5 games. The season record is 17-14 (0.548).