ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) Shohei Ohtani returned to the Angel Stadium mound with 4 1/3 innings of five-hit, four-run ball for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night time in his first pitching look in Anaheim since he left the Los Angeles Angels practically two years in the past.
Ohtani placed on a two-way present for his outdated dwelling crowd with seven strikeouts. He fanned Mike Trout twice, getting his good friend and fellow MVP the second time along with his quickest pitch of the night time a 101 mph fastball within the fourth inning.
Ohtani additionally staked himself to an early lead by tripling and scoring because the Dodgers’ leadoff hitter earlier than he even took the mound, entertaining Angels followers with the identical inimitable feats he completed often throughout his first six main league seasons with their membership.
Ohtani’s mound begin was his longest since he returned to pitching two months in the past, however he didn’t end robust.
He gave up three consecutive one-out hits within the fifth and left after Zach Netos two-run double trimmed the Dodgers’ result in 5-4. Anthony Banda nonetheless escaped the jam, however solely after the Angels loaded the bases.
Ohtani additionally gave up a homer to Taylor Ward in the course of the Angels’ two-run second inning. He appeared sharp within the subsequent two innings earlier than getting chased by two singles and Neto’s drive.
Ohtani continues to be beloved in Anaheim by followers who principally couldn’t blame him for leaving a staff that might by no means assemble a successful lineup round him and Trout throughout six consecutive dropping seasons.
The three-time MVP two of these trophies claimed with the Angels has obtained cheers at any time when he returns to the Huge A, though that’s additionally as a result of a lot of the group wears Dodger Blue for these Freeway Sequence rivalry video games.
The followers had been locked in on the primary occasion on this showdown: After Trout and Ohtani acknowledged one another with slight nods and smirks, Ohtani completed his 1-2-3 first inning by throwing 5 straight fastballs to Trout earlier than placing him out trying with a sweeper.
The MVP ex-teammates hadnt confronted one another since Ohtani famously struck out Trout in Tokyo with the identical pitch to finish the 2023 World Baseball Traditional.
Ohtani was even meaner to Trout of their second assembly, beginning him out with a 73 mph curve earlier than finally fanning him with that blazing fastball within the low outdoors nook.
Exterior of Trout, Ohtani noticed loads of acquainted faces Wednesday: Seven of the 9 hitters within the Angels’ beginning lineup performed with him in Anaheim.
However Ohtani hadn’t been on the mound on the Huge A since Aug. 23, 2023, when he abruptly left a begin in opposition to Cincinnati within the second inning with elbow ache later revealed to be a torn ligament. The ensuing surgical procedure stored him off the mound completely in 2024 after he signed his 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers.
Ohtani returned to pitching two months in the past, and the Dodgers have regularly constructed up his innings whereas sustaining his on a regular basis function as their DH and leadoff hitter.
Earlier than his mound return, Ohtani homered in every of the primary two video games of this collection though he additionally lined right into a triple play Tuesday.
After getting loud pregame cheers, Ohtani started by driving a 2-2 pitch from Kyle Hendricks into deep proper for a triple, and he shortly scored on Betts single. Will Smith added his fifteenth homer a couple of minutes later to stake his pitcher to a 3-0 lead.
Ward blasted a 97 mph fastball from Ohtani to proper for his twenty ninth homer, simply the second allowed by Ohtani this season. Yoán Moncada then doubled and scored on two flyouts.
Ohtani struck out on the plate within the second inning, however he drew a stroll within the fourth, loading the bases and chasing Hendricks.
Angels reliever Andrew Chafin struck out Ohtani with a slider when the slugger got here up once more within the sixth.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
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