- Bottom of the 6th: Ohtani's game-winning solo shot breaks the 0-0 tie (center field, 106.9 mph, 427 ft)
- Grounded out in the 3rd but battled, squaring it up at 99.9 mph exit velocity
- A nerve-wracking pitchers' duel won by protecting just one run to zero
Man, what a thriller — THIS is what baseball's all about!
Hey hey! Today's game against the Rays was straight-up bad for my heart. It was 0-0 forever, so tense I literally couldn't keep my beer-drinking hand moving. Pitchers' duels are rough on us watching too, but pulling one out at the very end? That feels SO dang good.
Shohei was a little quiet early… but he was barreling it up
Honestly, those first two at-bats had me worried — "Uh oh, is he a little off today?" Bottom of the 1st, swinging strikeout on a cutter, got behind 2-0 and couldn't dig out. Shame. Bottom of the 3rd he battled through 5 pitches but rolled over a 97 mph heater for a grounder. But get this — that ball came off at 99.9 mph! He was squaring it up completely. The only shame was the 4-degree launch angle; the contact itself was NOT bad. I sat there telling myself, "Next one, next one — Shohei's got this."
And then bottom of the 6th — THERE IT IIIIS!
WOOOOOO!! That's it, THAT'S the one! A monster arch to dead center that shattered the 0-0 deadlock! He absolutely crushed a 92 mph cutter — exit velocity 106.9 mph, distance 427 feet! A 27-degree launch angle, a flawless rainbow. I jumped up and screamed all by myself in front of the TV. After going quiet those first two at-bats, exploding right HERE is exactly what makes Shohei so special. And this one ends up being the game-winner — at this point you can only say the man is just blessed.
Bottom of the 8th he struck out on a sweeper, but that bite in the low 50s mph range is nasty, and he already went deep in the 6th, so today's more than enough!
Hats off to the bullpen for protecting that one run
And then holding that single run all the way to zero — the defense was magnificent too. Winning a pitchers' duel like that is huge. Even on a day the lineup goes quiet, this team can win on one swing from Shohei and some gritty relief work — THAT'S the strength of this club.
Man, we WON! Keep this momentum rolling tomorrow, Dodgers! And Shohei, give me another bomb, would ya!
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