We Lost, But Shohei's Hit Saved My Night
Dodgers get shut down by the Angels, 0-3. Shohei struck out in his first at-bat but came through with a hit in the 4th to show some fight. The team got burned by a rough 5th inning and the bats just never got going. Total shutout loss.
Highlights
- 4th inning: Shohei Ohtani fights back with a hit to show some fight
- 5th inning: Three runs scored without a single hit — death by walks
- Ohtani strikes out in the 1st but adjusts by the 4th — that adaptability is elite
1st Inning: My Heart Can't Take This
Oh man, starting the game off hot already. Bottom of the 1st, Shohei's first at-bat — strikeout. This pitcher Kochanowicz had some nasty stuff in spring training, and sure enough, he handled Shohei too. Worked the inside corner real well. "Ugh, a K in the first at-bat? Come on..." — I practically jumped off my couch.
But hey, a first at-bat strikeout is within expectations. Shohei always makes adjustments, so the right move as a fan is to sit tight and wait for the next one.
4th Inning: THERE WE GO! That's What I Wanted!
So then the bottom of the 4th comes around. Shohei's second at-bat — he gets a clean hit! Man, I was so relieved. After that K in the 1st, I had this nagging thought like "what if today's just not his day..." but nope, he made the adjustment. Classic Shohei — his ability to read pitches is on another level. He worked the count and then drove it, and the ball came off the bat solid. It looks routine when he does it, but making that kind of correction in just one at-bat? That's what makes him special.
The tough part is it didn't lead to a run though. Couldn't capitalize on that hit.
5th Inning: The Fatal Blow — 3 Runs
This was the turning point of the whole game. Top of the 5th — Peraza single, Mancini walk, Candelario walk, just loading them up one after another. Getting scored on by walks and no hits is the absolute worst. And all 3 runs came in without a single hit. The pitching staff needs to have a serious talk about this one. They were trying to attack the zone but everything kept missing. You could see it watching.
The Bats Went Silent
67 plate appearances across the whole game and zero runs. The Angels pitching staff completely shut us down. Every time we had a chance, we made an out. By the end of the 5th I pretty much knew — "today just ain't it."
Wrapping Up
A loss is a loss, but Shohei getting that one hit was the only saving grace. If we'd gotten shut out 0-3 with nothing from Shohei, there would've been literally nothing to talk about. Next game, we need the lineup to step up. Once Shohei gets rolling, the whole team feeds off that energy, so let's just move on from today. Shake it off, shake it off!