Shohei Ohtani, 29, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, made quick work of his team’s blowout loss.
Ohtani went 1-for-4 with a run scored, a walk and two strikeouts in the No. 2 spot in the lineup against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas, U.S., on 13 March (ET)카지노사이트 . The team lost 3-11.
Ohtani struck out in both his first and second at-bats. With the bases loaded in the top of the first inning, he got his bat on a high 87.7 mph (141 km/h) cutter from Franks at 2B2S, but was thrown out on a foul tip. In the top of the fourth, he led off with a swing at an 82 mph (131 km/h) changeup at 1B2S and headed for the dugout.
But in his third at-bat, he wouldn’t go away. Leading off the sixth inning with his team trailing 1-7, Ohtani fouled off back-to-back pitches and then drove an 87.3 mph cutter to centre field on the third pitch. The ball reached a whopping 190.4 kilometres per hour. Unfortunately, it didn’t go over the fence. It hit the centre fence. Ohtani doubled. He advanced to third on Drury’s grounder to second and scored on Mustachus’ sacrifice fly.
Shohei Ohtani/Getty Images Korea
Ohtani came to the plate for the fourth time in the top of the eighth with the bases loaded. He hit a 97.4 mph fastball up the middle of the plate to Brian Abreu at 1B, but McCormick in left field made the catch in front of the warning track.
Ohtani had a hit for the second straight game, but hasn’t homered in eight games since his 40th.
The Angels dropped their second straight and remained in fourth place in the American League West with a 58-60 record. A postseason berth is unlikely as they remain in seventh place in the wild card race.
The team’s poor performance has left Ohtani frustrated.
According to Japan Full Count, a plainclothes Ohtani exited the clubhouse after the game and before Angels manager Phil Nevin’s postgame press conference to leave for work. The game was only about 10 minutes old.
In April, Nevin had given Ohtani special instructions to “go home early and rest” a day before his start. But Ohtani refused to leave early. He wanted to share the team’s victory with his teammates, but he was nowhere to be seen in the dugout from the ninth inning onwards.
Nevin’s postgame interview with him lasted just five minutes. ”There’s a silence in the clubhouse,” the media said of the team’s mood.
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