Japanese Showdown with Sugano — Shohei Delivers an Opening-Inning Liner
Ohtani couldn't quite pull off a three-hit night off Sugano, but his first-inning double set up the opening run! With Muncy's two-homer explosion, we cruised to a 7-1 win! The Japanese showdown with Sugano was a real treat too.
Highlights
- Shohei Ohtani sets up the first run with a 95.7 mph double off Sugano in the 1st inning
- Max Muncy erupts with 2 homers plus a timely hit to put the game away
- In the Japanese showdown with Tomoyuki Sugano, Shohei makes his presence felt with 2 hits
Ohhh man, what a satisfying win today!
First of all, today was the Japanese showdown against Tomoyuki Sugano! Sugano's with the Rockies now and he's on the mound, and on our side we've got Shohei. No way you're missing this one. I had my beer ready and was sitting on my knees waiting for first pitch.
Top of the 1st, and Shohei's up right away!
From the very first inning it was already perfect. When Shohei whiffed on that first-pitch splitter, I was like "damn, Sugano's splitter is nasty," but he hung in there and ended up ripping a slider into a liner for a double! Exit velo 95.7 mph — that's the Ohtani swing right there. The momentum was rolling, and Will Smith brought him home with a sac fly for the first run. What a way to start.
Muncy was absolutely locked in today
I mean, Max Muncy, baby. Homer in the top of the 2nd, another homer in the top of the 5th, and a timely double in the top of the 3rd! Drove in more than three runs and basically put the game away by himself. No mercy for Sugano either — when Muncy's hot like this, there's no stopping him.
Shohei's second at-bat was vintage too
Top of the 2nd, Shohei stayed back on Sugano's splitter attack and flicked a single the other way! That's the stuff. Even when the pitcher's putaway pitch is jamming him, Shohei can just drive it the opposite way. Back-to-back hits in the Japanese showdown — felt so good!
In the 4th it was a grounder, and he struck out in the 5th, so I was like "aw man, no three-hit game today…" but did you see that ball in the 8th? A 108.3 mph liner! He absolutely crushed it and it went straight at someone… yeah, these nights happen, it stings, but the contact was perfect. Get 'em next time, Shohei!
Sugano hung in there too, gotta give him credit
He gave up 9 hits and a homer, but he mixed speeds with a top velo of 92 mph and an average of 88, and still got 3 strikeouts. Going that deep against the Dodgers lineup is plenty. As a fellow Japanese pitcher, I was rooting for him — I'd love to see him start again next time around.
7-1, cruising win!
Against Sugano we put up 7 runs, with Muncy's 2 bombs taking complete control of the game. Shohei did his job with 2 hits, and Will Smith, Andy Pages, and Alex Freeland all chipped in with sac flies to keep the line moving — felt like a total team win. To do this on the road is as good as it gets. Let's keep it going tomorrow, Dodgers!