Shohei Ohtani Pitches 3 Scoreless Innings against the Giants
Working as an opener for the fifth time this season after not pitching in all of 2024, Ohtani threw 36 pitches, 25 for strikes while serving as Los Angeles' opener for the fifth time this season. He allowed one hit and struck out the side on 12 pitches in the first inning when his fastball was twice clocked at 99.9 mph.
'Overall a very efficient outing,' Ohtani said through an interpreter. 'I was glad that I was able to prevent runs and we were able to keep the lead throughout the game.'
The Giants only two runners against Ohtani came on a four-pitch walk to Jung Hoo Lee in the second inning and Mike Yastrzemski's single in the third.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts noted a difference in Ohtani's mindset when he's on the mound.
'You can just see it. … that different demeanor that he carries on days that he pitches,' Roberts said. 'He really is very smart as far as being astute and knowing where we're at and knowing that this is an important win for us, an important day. He brought that intensity today. It's not overt but you can feel it.'
Ohtani threw 19 pitches that were at least 97 mph.
'Aside from the stuff, I'm more happy with the command of my pitches and being able to attack the zone,' Ohtani said. 'Today was one of those days where my fastball felt pretty good, so I leaned on it a little bit more today.'
The two-way Japanese star, who did not pitch in all of 2024, was also the team's designated hitter and hit in the leadoff. He grounded out in his first two at-bats and then struck out twice.
Ohtani has allowed one run and five hits over nine innings this season.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Mainichi
28 minutes ago
- The Mainichi
Jannik Sinner beats 2-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz to win his first Wimbledon title
LONDON (AP) -- Jannik Sinner insisted early on at Wimbledon that he put an excruciating loss to Carlos Alcaraz in their epic French Open final behind him. Sinner was sure that one defeat wouldn't haunt him, wouldn't prevent a quick recalibration and certainly wouldn't mean a thing at the All England Club. Sure was right about all of that. Exactly five weeks after the devastating defeat at Roland-Garros against his rival, Sinner reversed the result, beating two-time defending Wimbledon champion Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday to win his first championship at the grass-court major. "At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter how you win or you lose the important tournaments. You just have to understand what you did wrong. Trying to work on that -- that's exactly what we did. We tried to accept the loss and then just kept working," Sinner said Sunday, his shiny gold hardware in his hands. "And this is, for sure, why I'm holding this trophy here." The No. 1-ranked Sinner earned his fourth Grand Slam title overall, moving him one away from No. 2 Alcaraz's total as the two no-longer-rising-but-firmly-established stars of the game separate themselves from the rest of the pack in men's tennis. Sinner, a 23-year-old Italian, put an end to several streaks for Alcaraz, a 22-year-old Spaniard, who had been 5-0 in Grand Slam finals. Alcaraz had won their last five matches, most famously across five sets and nearly 5 1/2 hours on the red clay of the French Open on June 8. Sinner took a two-set lead, then held a trio of match points, but couldn't close the deal. "Today was important not just because it was a Grand Slam final, not just because it was Wimbledon, and not just because Carlos had won the last five matches against him," said Darren Cahill, one of Sinner's two coaches, who had planned to leave the team at the end of 2025 but now might stick around. "He needed that win today. So he knew the importance of closing this one out when he had the opportunities." Asked during Week 1 at Wimbledon whether what happened in Paris created lingering doubts, Sinner immediately replied: "Why negative feelings? Because I lost in (that) final?" Then he continued: "No. Look, it's a new tournament, new Grand Slam, new surface. I'm not concerned about my level I can play. ... I'm not concerned that one loss can influence you for so long a time. I believe that here is a new chance that I can do something good." Great, even. This time, he didn't waver, asserting himself in a match that featured moments of terrific play by both men, but also the occasional lapses -- and one memorable, brief, interruption right before a Sinner serve when a Champagne cork came flying out of the stands and settled on the turf. With Prince William and Princess Kate in the Royal Box, along with King Felipe VI of Spain, Alcaraz stepped into the sunlight bathing Centre Court with a career-best 24-match unbeaten run. He had won 20 matches in a row at the All England Club. "It's difficult to lose," Alcaraz said. "It's always difficult to lose." The last man to beat him at Wimbledon? Sinner, in the fourth round in 2022. So this served as a bookend win for Sinner, who would be forgiven for at least thinking a bit about his collapse in their last match -- especially when facing two break points while serving at 4-3, 15-40 in the fourth set Sunday. But he calmly took the next four points to take that game, then soon was serving out the win after a chorus of "Car-los! Car-los!" rang out from spectators. "The things that went his way in Paris," Sinner said, "went my way this time." When it ended, he put both hands on his white hat. After embracing Alcaraz, Sinner crouched with his head bowed, then pounded his right palm on the grass. He has participated in four consecutive major finals, including triumphs at the U.S. Open -- shortly after the world learned about a doping case that eventually led to a three-month ban -- and the Australian Open. Wearing the same tape job and white arm sleeve to protect his right elbow that he has been using since falling in the fourth round, Sinner never showed any issues, just as he hadn't while eliminating Novak Djokovic on Friday. In the final, Sinner and Alcaraz produced scintillating points, with few, if any, half-measures. They sprinted at top speed and swung away with full force, rarely bending to the other's will. From 4-2 down, Alcaraz took four games in a row. That spurt included a 140 mph ace that sprayed the air with a cloud of white chalk dust and a set-capping, flick-of-a-backhand winner at an impossible angle after barely getting his racket on the ball. As fans rose and roared, Alcaraz pointed to his ear and spun around, then pumped his right fist overhead. Sinner was undaunted, quickly breaking to lead the second set. He returned exceptionally, even as Alcaraz served aggressively, which did lead to 15 aces -- but also to a 53% first-serve percentage and seven double-faults. Much like at the French Open, there was often an unrelenting intensity to these three-plus hours, and any slight misstep created problems. It was Alcaraz who had more of those, although Sinner might have had the most memorable, blowing an overhead right after coming up with a behind-the-back, through-the-legs half-volley in the third set. In all, these guys showed why they combined to win the past seven Grand Slam trophies, and nine of the last 12. Fittingly, this marked the first time the same two men faced off in the title matches at the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year since Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal did it in 2006, 2007 and 2008. It hadn't happened for more than a half-century before that trilogy.
Asahi Shimbun
30 minutes ago
- Asahi Shimbun
TENNIS/ Wang Ziying of China wins women's wheelchair singles at Wimbledon by beating Yui Kamiji of Japan
Wang Ziying of China, left, celebrates with the trophy after beating Yui Kamiji of Japan, right, to win the final women's wheelchair singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Saturday, July 12, 2025. (PA via AP) Wang Ziying of China won her first Grand Slam title in women's wheelchair singles by beating top-seeded Yui Kamiji of Japan 6-3, 6-3 on Saturday at Wimbledon. Wang had lost eight of her previous nine matches against Kamiji, who has 10 major titles in singles and was looking to complete a career Grand Slam with a first championship at Wimbledon. But Wang converted her fifth set point in the first set after a marathon game that went to deuce nine times, and then clinched victory on her first match point when Kamiji netted a backhand. In the men's wheelchair doubles final, No. 2 seeds Martin De la Puente of Spain and Ruben Spaargaren of the Netherlands won their first Wimbledon title by beating top-seeded British duo Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid 7-6 (1), 7-5. Hewett and Reid have won six Wimbledon doubles titles, including the last two.
The Mainichi
an hour ago
- The Mainichi
Israel-born sumo hopeful in Japan faces age limit obstacle despite having skills
TOKYO -- After nearly 40 seconds of intense grappling in a sumo training bout, Yarden Yatkovski, 27, throws down a wrestler ranked in the makushita division, the third highest of the six divisions in professional sumo. Footage of this powerful display at Tokyo's Tatsunami stable shows him performing at a level rivaling professional wrestlers, or rikishi. Having moved from Israel to Japan some 2 1/2 years ago, Yatkovski dedicates each day to training intensively. Yet, despite his commitment and visible skills, the door to becoming a professional sumo wrestler remains closed. What exactly is preventing his dream from becoming reality? Yatkovski lives by words adopted from the creed of one sumo stable: "Watch with your eyes, listen with your ears, then act without fear of failure." Daily, he repeats this maxim as he trains diligently, practicing at Tatsunami stable in the mornings and building strength at a gym in the afternoons. His fascination with sumo began early. At age 4, he watched satellite broadcasts with his grandfather, captivated by large rikishi clashing with strength and skill. Although he dreamed of becoming a sumo wrestler, Israel had no sumo dojos, prompting him instead to train in judo and wrestling. At 18, he fulfilled his compulsory military service in Israel, during which he increased his food intake and studied sumo fundamentals such as "shiko" (stamping), "teppo" (pillar striking) and "suriashi" (shuffling footwork). He adapted his diet, gradually becoming accustomed to "chanko" stew which contains pork and shrimp -- ingredients not typically eaten in Jewish dietary culture. After completing his mandatory military duty of two years and eight months, however, Yatkowski's initial attempt to move to Japan in March 2020 was disrupted by the global spread of COVID-19. Subsequently, he traveled to Mongolia through a connection with an acquaintance and continued to build experience in wrestling. He finally arrived in Japan in October 2022, already 24. But under current Japan Sumo Association (JSA) regulations, new recruits must join prior to turning 23. Although special exemptions allow those under 25 to join if they have outstanding results in sumo or another sport, Yatkovski's highest athletic achievement was winning a domestic judo event in Israel, insufficient for the exemption. Still, he refused to give up. In 2023, a stable accepted him as a "trainee," letting him train and attend Japanese language school concurrently. He also reached out to the JSA via supporters in Japan, emphasizing that his age overrun resulted from circumstances beyond his control: mandatory military service followed by travel restrictions due to COVID-19. Thus far, however, the JSA has remained reluctant. Further complicating matters, JSA rules limit each stable to one foreign-born wrestler. Earlier this year, a foreign recruit joined the stable where Yatkovski was practicing, forcing him to leave. Currently, he trains at Tatsunami stable, the home stable of Mongolian-born yokozuna Hoshoryu, where he reportedly holds his own even against wrestlers in the sandanme division, the fourth highest in sumo. Despite his evident skill, prospects are bleak. One influential stablemaster told him frankly that many aspiring wrestlers have had to give up their dreams because of age restrictions, urging him to pursue other paths. However, Yatkovski remains adamant, stating, "Sumo is my life itself. I don't want to live without sumo," hinting at the pain that would result from losing his dream due to factors outside his control. Since April of this year, Yatkovski has been uploading videos of his training sessions to YouTube, including the clip showing him taking down a makushita wrestler. He says he wants to show his skills to many people. In the 1990s, when no age limit existed, older recruits succeeded in entering sumo. One example is former komusubi Tomonohana, who joined at age 27. An online petition calling for the JSA to allow Yatkovski's entry has already gathered support from over 10,000 people. Today, he continues to train while caring about his family in Israel, where war persists. He has not yet given up his dream of becoming a sumo wrestler.
