'50-50' I see it over there, Otani 46th large artillery formation -4 each approach, RBI-Hantado career high double slope...LAD 4-0 CLE

Sep 09, 2024

'50-50' I see it over there, Otani 46th large artillery formation -4 each approach, RBI-Hantado career high double slope...LAD 4-0 CLE
LA Dodgers Shohei Ohtani hits his 46th home run of the season to the right in the bottom of the fifth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Dodger Stadium on the 9th (Korea time). The homer left Ohtani with four each in the first 50-50 in history. AP Yonhap News



'50-50' I see it over there, Otani 46th large artillery formation -4 each approach, RBI-Hantado career high double slope...LAD 4-0 CLE
Otani hits the middle of the third inning and runs out to first base. AP Yonhap News
LA Dodgers Ohtani hit his 46th home run of the season.

In a home game against the Cleveland Guardians at Dodger Stadium on the 9th (Korea time), Ohtani helped the team win 3-0, swinging two hits, one RBI and one run from four times at bat, including his 46th home run of the season.

Ohtani hit a home run in the bottom of the sixth inning with a 1-0 lead.



Ohtani pulled a changeup in the middle of 83.6 miles on the second pitch from a one-ball against Cleveland right-hander Tanner Bybee and went wide over the left fence. A launch angle of 34 degrees, a batting speed of 116.7 miles (187.8 kilometers), and a distance of 450 feet (137.2 meters).

The ball stretched out with a large parabolic line to the right and passed over the foul pole, and the umpires applied for a challenge to ask if there was a home run. However, the results have not changed. Ohtani, who was sitting in the dugout and waiting, raised his arms and cheered when the referee announced that he recognized the home run as it was.



It is the first time in two days that Ohtani hit a home run since he hit a solo shot in the bottom of the fifth inning against Cleveland on the 7th. The home run seems to have gained speed again.

'50-50' I see it over there, Otani 46th large artillery formation -4 each approach, RBI-Hantado career high double slope...LAD 4-0 CLE
Otani is looking at the ball right after pulling the changeup of opposing starter Tanner Bybee and hitting a cannon to the right in the fifth inning. AP Yonhap News
With this, Ohtani marked 46 home runs and 46 steals for the season, approaching the first 50-50 mark in history by four points each. The stolen base has not been added since he succeeded in three steals at once against the Arizona Diamondbacks on the 3rd.



Along with the historic 50-50 hunt, Ohtani is also aiming for the combined home run king of both leagues. Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees failed to operate a cannon again against the Chicago Cubs, staying with 51 home runs, narrowing the gap with Ohtani to five. Judge has not added 12 consecutive home runs and 54 consecutive at-bats in 14 days since the game against the Colorado Rockies on the 26th of last month.

Ohtani, who played as a designated hitter for the leadoff, stepped down with a fly ball to left field in his first at-bat in the bottom of the first inning. However, in the third inning when the score was 0-0, he made his first hit of the day after two outs to adjust his batting sense. On the full count, he hit a 90.6-mile slider on Bybee's eighth pitch to lead to a hit that fell in front of center field. However, he was caught by Vibe in the at-bat of Mookie Betts, and he lost the opportunity to steal a base.

'50-50' I see it over there, Otani 46th large artillery formation -4 each approach, RBI-Hantado career high double slope...LAD 4-0 CLE
Otani is out after hitting a heavy hit in the third inning due to the opponent's starting bibi's check. AP Yonhap News
Following a solo home run in the fifth inning, he struck out in the seventh inning. With this, Ohtani marked a batting average of 0.291 (162 hits in 557 at-bats), 46 home runs, 101 RBIs, 113 runs, 46 steals, 0.374 on-base percentage, 0.618 slugging percentage, 0.992 OPS, 83 long hits, and 344 hits. Hits and RBIs reached career highs in 2022 (160 hits) and 2021 (100 RBIs), respectively.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Dodgers scored the first run with Will Smith's heavy hit with one out and runners on the first and third bases, and then led 2-0 with Ohtani's solo home run in the fifth inning. After one out in the eighth inning, Max Muncy hit a solo home run in the middle of the month and sent a run, and Chris Taylor hit a right-handed hit to seal the victory.

The Dodgers, which finished the three consecutive games against Cleveland with a 2-1 winning series, marked 86 wins and 57 losses and maintained their No. 1 ranking in the NL. In the Western Division, he widened his gap with the second-place San Diego Padres (81 wins and 64 losses) to six games.



jhno@sportschosun.com