BOSTON Shohei OhtaniFenway Park's finest two-way performance, since Babe Ruth, left his mark.
Ohtani pitched in the historic ballpark's first game. He struck out 11 batters in seven scoreless innings and added two more hits, one a 109 mph drive that drove the Green Monster to the ground. knocked his No. 17 out of the pitcher's slotOn the manual scoreboard
“I hope you don’t begin to take that for granted.” Joe Maddon, Angels manager said Ohtani's skills are “old-hat”. “It's very unusual. It's amazing, especially at this level.
This display was made during Los Angeles' 8-1 win over Boston on Thursday. It included a five-run eighth in the ballpark that Ruth played six seasons prior to his sale to the Yankees in 1914.
Ohtani scored in the fourth. a 389-foot single that was about a foot shy of being a home run. He singled off the left field wall in the eighth to drive in one run. The Angels won 2-0.
Ohtani (3-2), also inducing 29 swings and misses by Boston batters — a career record and the highest for any pitcher this season. He also threw 81 strike pitches, which is a career high.
Ohtani, who hit.302 in 10 Fenway games with two homers, said that “it's one my favorite ballparks.” “I was looking ahead to pitching there.”
Ohtani's debut was delayed two days due to tightness in the groin. This occurred 14 hours after Ohtani had scored six runs in 10 innings to win the Angels 10-5. Ohtani, who was designated hitter in that game, walked in 9th and walked 10th.
He said, “To be truthful, I was quite fatigued.” “My body was quite tired. I tried to go to bed as soon as possible, and to get enough rest and sleep. “I think I was able do that.”
Ohtani allowed six hits, and no walks. He also threw an unusual pitch that allowed Rafael DeversTo reach base with a strikeout in he first.
Ohtani gave up the leadoff double. Jackie Bradley Jr. The fifth. In the sixth J.D. MartinezDoubled with one out, but was left stranded. Andrew VelazquezA diving catch of Franchy CorderoIt was a blooper to end an inning.
Ohtani was Fenway's first pitcher to bat in the top 4 of the order after Ruth. Ruth was also the Red Sox cleanup hitter in the opening game of a Sept. 20, 1919 doubleheader.
Ohtani, a Red Sox Hall of Famer, became the first pitcher to register a hit at Fenway since Roger Clemens' 1996 appearance. Clemens, Ohtani, and Clemens were the only designated hitters to hit Fenway.
This report was compiled by the Associated Press
