Shohei Ohtani dominates on mound, goes quiet at the plate
Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) reacts after striking out the San Francisco Giants during the sixth inning at Oracle Park. SAN FRANCISCO – The irony wasn’t lost on anyone inside Oracle Park on Wednesday night. Shohei Ohtani delivered exactly what the Dodgers could have asked for on the mound, and almost nothing they needed at the plate.
The result was as frustrating as it was familiar of late: a 3-0 loss to the Giants, their second straight defeat in the series and their first shutout of the season. Ohtani was, in many ways, brilliant. Efficient.
Electric. Locked in. He carved through San Francisco’s lineup with a fastball-sweeper mix that produced 18 whiffs and long stretches of helpless swings.
After allowing two hits in the first inning, he settled completely, retiring 10 consecutive hitters at one point and needing just seven pitches to breeze through the third. Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) pitches during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Stan Szeto-Imagn Images Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) pitches during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park.
By the time he walked off the mound after six scoreless innings, six hits, no walks, seven strikeouts on 91 pitches, his ERA sat at 0. 38. Over 24 innings this season, he has allowed just one earned run.