'Ending bases loaded' Ohtani achieves the most dramatic 40-40 feat, his sixth in at least 126 games...LAD 7-3 TB
Aug 24, 2024
|
|
Ohtani played as a leadoff designated hitter in the home game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Dodger Stadium on the 24th (Korea time) and added a steal and a home run one by one, reaching the 40-homer mark of the season. In particular, it was even more dramatic as he hit a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning when it was 3-3 and achieved his 40th home run of the season.
In the bottom of the first inning, Ohtani pulled Tampa Bay left-hander Tyler Alexander's low sinker 90.2 miles into the fourth pitch and hit a line drive to the right, but headed in front of first baseman Yandy Diaz.
However, after losing 0-3 as a leadoff hitter in the fourth inning, he hit an infield hit and succeeded in stealing 40 bases for the season.
Alexander's 2nd pitch 89.3 miles of sinker on One Strike was missed, making it a ground ball flowing between shortstop and third baseman. Tampa Bay shortstop Taylor Walls caught it with his bare hands and threw it to first base in reverse motion, but Ohtani's foot was much faster.
Ohtani was then safe by running to second base as soon as Alexander's first pitch 78.1 miles sweeper penetrated the outer strike zone in Freddie Freeman's at-bat after one out. The moment Tampa Bay catcher Rob Brantley tried to throw, Ohtani was bloodless on second base as the ball fell off the mitt.
Ohtani, who advanced to third base on Freeman's fly to left field, failed to reach home after Will Smith stepped down with a fly ball to right field after Teoscar Hernandez's walk.
|
Ohtani then entered the batter's box for the fourth time after Kike got on base with a left-handed hit after two outs in the seventh inning when the 3-3 balance continued. Tampa Bay then replaced the pitcher with left-hander Garrett Clevinger. However, Ohtani grounded out to second base.
His 40th homer of the season came in his last at-bat. In the end, it was a bases-loaded walk. Ohtani, who came to the batter's box with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning when the score was 3-3, hit a low slider outside the first pitch of 84.3 miles by opponent left-hander Colin Poche to lead it to a grand slam slightly over the center fence, drawing his 40th arch of the season to determine the game.
This made Ohtani the sixth club ever to join the 40-40 club after Jose Canseco in 1988, Barry Bonds in 1996, Alex Rodriguez in 1998, Alfonso Soriano in 2006 and Ronald Acuña Jr in 2023. In particular, Ohtani achieved a milestone in his 126th game this season, shortening Soriano's previous record of achieving the least 40-40 games in history by 21 games.
The Dodgers, which won 7-3, won five consecutive games and marked 77 wins and 52 losses, ranking first in the overall winning rate of the Major League.
jhno@sportschosun.com
