Confused by the 115km slow curve, Ohtani-Darvish 'Natural enemy relationship'...The shadow of the Dodgers entering the NLCS
Oct 12, 2024
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The Dodgers won 2-0 in Game 5 of the NL Division Series against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium on the 12th (Korea time) with starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto's good pitching and two home runs by Kike Hernandez and Teoscar Hernandez.
The Dodgers, who dramatically beat San Diego with a 3-2 series record, advanced to the NL Championship Series for the first time in three years since 2021. The Dodgers, who took the NLCS stage for the 16th time, will compete with the New York Mets for a ticket to the World Series with the best-of-seven series from the 14th. The Dodgers, which ranks first in regular season winning percentage, will have home advantage (hosting Games 1, 2, 6, and 7).
In the top of the ninth inning, when closing Blake Trinen caught Fernando Tatis Jr. on a groundout to third base to secure the victory, Ohtani exited the third-base dugout with his teammates and enjoyed the joy.
Ohtani has four hits in 20 at-bats (0.200), one home run, four RBIs, three runs scored, an OPS of 0.623, two walks and 10 strikeouts in five games of this division series. There was no impressive hit except for a three-run shot tied at the bottom of the second inning in Game 1 and a timely hit to the right in the top of the second inning in Game 4.
In particular, the final fifth game, which determines the direction of the series, lost face by hitting three strikeouts and no hits in four times at bat. As a designated hitter who did not defend, Ohtani spent most of his time in the dugout, but he encouraged his teammates to cheer up and greeted the batters and pitchers who came in after the inning, but he couldn't do his part at the plate.
Again, he was tightly tied to San Diego starter Darvish Yu. In the second game on the 7th, Ohtani also retired with a strikeout-ground ball-ground ball against Darvish, but on the same day, he bowed his head with a strikeout-out-out strikeout.
Ohtani, who led to a full count due to Darvish's brilliant ball mix in his first at-bat in the bottom of the first inning, swung and missed when an 87.4 mile slider penetrated his body in the sixth pitch. It would have been a ball if I had just sent it. Ohtani, who sent two four-seam strikes and balls respectively, was then tricked by the slider after facing the splitter→cutter→curve.
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He was thoroughly beaten by Darvish in his third at-bat after one out in the bottom of the sixth inning with a 1-0 lead. Ohtani, who fouled out the first slider and the second ball's outer curve one after another, picked a three-pitch splitter with a ball and missed the bat on a 71.4 mile (115km) slope that fell by a large drop outside the fourth ball. I missed the timing as if I was caught off guard.
In the eighth inning with a 2-0 lead, he fouled a 100.1-mile fastball on the third pitch on the two strike against another natural enemy, left-hander Tanner Scott, and swung again on the fastball in the middle of 99.1-mile on the fourth pitch. Ohtani was stronger in the fastball than anyone else, but it seemed difficult to attack in the postseason, which lost its sense.
When asked about his determination to face Darvish ahead of Game 5 the previous day, Ohtani said, `I'm telling you, Darvish is a really good pitcher and he threw well against us. Not only is he very clever, but there's not only one thing that really stands out. Personally, I'm very excited that he's dealing with Yamamoto." In the run-up to this division series, he once said, "I personally want Darvish to face our Yamamoto."
However, he met Darvish six times in two games and was beaten by no hits in six times at bat, including three strikeouts. He has one hit in 11 at-bats and two strikeouts in his career, including the regular season.
jhno@sportschosun.com
