Huge roar '191km+135m'32nd shot, Ohtani looks like the home run king for 2 consecutive years...LAD 6-7 HOU
Jul 28, 2024
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In an away game against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas on the 28th (Korea time), Ohtani had two hits, two RBIs, two runs and one walk in three at-bats, including his 32nd home run of the season. However, the Dodgers lost the game 6-7.
Ohtani hit a home run at the top of the third inning with a 1-0 lead.
Ohtani, who entered the batter's box for the second time, beat Houston right-hander Ronel Blanco with a superior solo home run. When a 92-mile four-seam fastball flew into the middle of the fourth ball count 2B1S, it was pulled as it was and connected to a large arch that fell beyond the second deck of the stands behind the right fence.
With a tremendous roar, the ball flew at a launch angle of 29 degrees and a batting speed of 118.7 miles (191 kilometers) and hit 443 feet (135 meters) away. In particular, the speed was the second fastest hit by Ohtani this season. Ohtani's fastest hit this season is 119.2 miles in the second inning against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 28.
It is the first time in two days that Ohtani hit a home run since the San Francisco Giants game on the 26th, and it is his third home run in the second half.
Ohtani, the No. 1 NL home run player, is still two ahead of second-ranked Atlanta Braves Marcel Ojuna with a solo shot to left-center in the fourth inning of an away game against the New York Mets on the same day. Ohtani ranked No. 1 in the AL with 44 home runs last year when he was with the Los Angeles Angels and won his first career home run title. Moving the league, the home run king is in sight for the second consecutive season.
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In the fifth inning with a 2-0 lead, Ohtani walked with no outs and first base, and went to second base with Gavin Lux's timely hit at the first and second bases after one out, and then homered when Teoscar Hernandez hit the right-hander to widen the gap to 4-0. In the fifth inning alone, the Dodgers scored two runs by combining three hits and one walk.
Ohtani's bat also burst in the sixth inning. The Dodgers created chances for first and second base with back-to-back walks by leading Kiké Hernández and Cavan Biggio. Ohtani entered the fourth batter's box after Nick Ahmed was thrown out for a foul pullout.
Ohtani pushed right-hander Sean Dubin's 82.2-mile first-pitch curve and connected it with a single passing by shortstop and in front of left field, bringing second baseman Kike home to widen the gap to 5-0. Ohtani, who scored 76 RBIs for the season with his second RBI on the day, narrowed the gap to six with Ozuna (82) who ranks first in NL RBIs in this category.
However, the Dodgers allowed four runs along with second pitcher Evan Phillies in the bottom of the sixth inning when left-hander rookie Justin Roblesky, who threw well, suddenly showed difficulty.
Roblesky was replaced at first and third bases with two outs after receiving consecutive hits from leaders Chas McCormick and Jose Altuve. However, Phillips, who took the mound, was then hit by four consecutive hits by Jainer Diaz, Jeremy Peña, Jake Myers and pinch hitter Victor Caratini, dedicating four runs at once.
However, the Dodgers seemed to secure their victory by running 6-4 in the top of the eighth inning with Cavan Biggio's superior solo home run, but Houston recovered two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning with Diaz's triple, Peña's timely hit and John Singleton's timely hit to tie the game 6-6.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Blake Trinen threw a 94.7-mile sinker toward the body on the second pitch to leadoff batter Alex Bregman and was hit by a walk-off left-hander and kneeled 6-7.
Ohtani marked a batting average of 0.318 (128 hits in 403) with 32 home runs, 76 RBIs, 81 runs, 59 walks, 26 steals, a 0.406 on-base percentage, a slugging percentage of 0.645, OPS 1.051, 64 long hits, and 260 hits. He led in as many as eight categories including NL batting average, home run, score, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, long hit, and Ruta.
The Dodgers, who lost two consecutive games, maintained their lead in the NL West with 62 wins and 44 losses, but their gap with the second-place San Diego Padres, who won seven consecutive games, narrowed to 5.5 games. It was a four-game gap with the Philadelphia Phillies (65-39), who are ranked first in NL win percentage.
jhno@sportschosun.com
