The god of baseball was undone by a single throwing error.
Shohei Ohtani (LA Dodgers) started the second game of a three-game home series against the Miami Marlins on the 29th (Korean time) at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, and despite a strong outing of 6 innings, 5 hits, 4 walks, 9 strikeouts and 2 runs (1 earned), he faced the prospect of a loss as his offense was silent.
Jacob Marsh (center fielder) Kyle Stowers (left fielder) Otto Lopez (shortstop) Javier Edwards (second baseman) Agustin Ramirez (catcher) Connor Norby (designated hitter) Owen Kasey (right fielder) Christopher Morel (first baseman) Graham Parry (third baseman) — Ohtani faced the Miami lineup in that order.
In the top of the first, he showed dominant pitching by striking out table-setters Marsh and Stowers in succession. Leadoff man Marsh was called out on a looking strikeout after using the ABS challenge. He then allowed a double to Lopez and faced a scoring threat, but got Edwards to fly out to left on the first pitch and escaped without allowing a run. From the first inning he recorded a four-seam fastball top speed of 98.9 miles (159 km).
Ohtani allowed his first run in the top of the second. He had just hit the leadoff batter Ramirez with a pitch. With Norby batting, Ramirez attempted to steal second base, and Ohtani, slow to react, made a wild throw to second that created a no-out, runner-on-third crisis. He eased tensions by striking out Norby swinging on the first pitch, but then allowed a sacrifice fly to Casey to center. He then got Morel to ground out to second to end the inning.
The top of the third was clean. After handling leadoff batter Parry with a grounder to second, he struck out Marsh and Stowers in succession to record his first 1-2-3 inning. He mixed his high-velocity fastball with splitters, sweepers and curves in the right places.
In the top of the fourth, after one out he allowed Edwards to reach on a single to left and walked Ramirez to put runners on first and second. However, there was no run. He got Norby to fly out to center, then got Casey to ground out to shortstop thanks to a great defensive play by Kim Hye-seong. The inning ended. A broadcast shot showed Ohtani in the dugout thanking Kim Hye-seong.
Ohtani still trailed 0-1 in the top of the fifth and again faced danger after walking leadoff batter Morel. After getting Parry to fly out to second, Marsh was out on a sacrifice bunt to increase the out count to two, but with two outs and a runner on second he surrendered an RBI base hit to Stowers to right field.
Ohtani had difficulty finding stability. After allowing a single to left to Lopez, he walked Edwards to create a bases-loaded, two-out crisis. Ohtani struck out Ramirez looking to narrowly end the inning.
In the top of the sixth, Ohtani returned to the mound and after one out allowed a single to center by Casey, then struck out Morel and Casey looking in succession to notch his fifth consecutive quality start (in as many starts). Even after exceeding 100 pitches, he showed monster-like traits by throwing a 98.4-mile (158 km) fastball.
Ohtani handed the ball to Tanner Scott in the top of the seventh trailing 0-2 and left the game with regret. He finished with 104 pitches.
Meanwhile, Ohtani appeared in the game that day only as a pitcher, not as a two-way player. <
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