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NBC Sports
21 hours ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Shohei Ohtani strikes out in his first 4 plate appearances, a rare first
CINCINNATI — Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani had another first in his MLB career. Ohtani struck out in his first four plate appearances against the Cincinnati Reds, the first time he has done that in his eight seasons and 981 games in the majors. Against the Seattle Mariners on July 17, 2021, while playing for the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani popped up to the shortstop in his first at-bat and then struck out in his next four times at the plate. Despite Ohtani's tough night at the plate, the Dodgers rallied for a 5-4 victory on an RBI double by Will Smith in the ninth inning. 'Tonight, I just don't think he saw (Cincinnati starter Nick) Lodolo well at all, clearly. And I think he just got into swing mode,' manager Dave Roberts said. 'When he's (at his) best, he's getting the baseball up, and he's using the big part of the field. And especially in this ballpark where he doesn't need to go to right field. But tonight, just one of those nights that he just couldn't help him help himself from swinging.' Ohtani came into the game on a nine-game hitting streak, where he had gone 11 for 36 with six home runs 13 RBIs and nine runs scored. It is the sixth time the Japanese superstar and reigning NL MVP has struck out four times in a game. It is the second time this season, with the other coming against San Diego on June 17. Lodolo became the 13th pitcher to strike out Ohtani three times in a game. The Reds left-hander got Ohtani to chase a curveball out of the strike zone in the first and fifth innings, and got him looking on a 94.6 mph fastball in the third. 'I was going right after him. I definitely threw some good heaters in some good spots and I was able to spin the ball well too as well,' Lodolo said. Graham Ashcraft then whiffed Ohtani on an inside slider in the seventh. Ohtani was one strike away from his first five strikeout game before he flew out to right field on a 2-2 count in the ninth inning of a 4-4 game. Smith was the next batter and delivered the game-winning hit. Ohtani still leads the majors with 100 runs scored. He is atop the NL in slugging (.612), total bases (254), OPS (.989) and 38 home runs. Roberts hopes Ohtani is more disciplined at the plate in the series finale because Nick Martinez is the same type of pitcher as Lodolo. 'Martinez is gonna be nibbling, and it's going to be cutter and changeup down below. And he's got to get back to the big part of the field and not chase down below,' Roberts said. Ohtani also will be making his seventh pitching start of the season as the Dodgers look for him to go four innings as he comes back from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in 2023. Ohtani is 0-0 with a 1.50 ERA.
a day ago
- Sport
A rare first for Ohtani: Dodgers superstar strikes out in his first 4 plate appearances
CINCINNATI -- Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani had another first in his MLB career. Ohtani struck out in his first four plate appearances Tuesday night against the Cincinnati Reds, the first time he has done that in his eight seasons and 981 games in the majors. Against the Seattle Mariners on July 17, 2021, while playing for the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani popped up to the shortstop in his first at-bat and then struck out in his next four times at the plate. Despite Ohtani's tough night at the plate, the Dodgers rallied for a 5-4 victory on an RBI double by Will Smith in the ninth inning. 'Tonight, I just don't think he saw (Cincinnati starter Nick) Lodolo well at all, clearly. And I think he just got into swing mode," manager Dave Roberts said. "When he's (at his) best, he's getting the baseball up, and he's using the big part of the field. And especially in this ballpark where he doesn't need to go to right field. But tonight, just one of those nights that he just couldn't help him help himself from swinging.' Ohtani came into the game on a nine-game hitting streak, where he had gone 11 for 36 with six home runs 13 RBIs and nine runs scored. It is the sixth time the Japanese superstar and reigning NL MVP has struck out four times in a game. It is the second time this season, with the other coming against San Diego on June 17. Lodolo became the 13th pitcher to strike out Ohtani three times in a game. The Reds left-hander got Ohtani to chase a curveball out of the strike zone in the first and fifth innings, and got him looking on a 94.6 mph fastball in the third. 'I was going right after him. I definitely threw some good heaters in some good spots and I was able to spin the ball well too as well,' Lodolo said. Graham Ashcraft then whiffed Ohtani on an inside slider in the seventh. Ohtani was one strike away from his first five strikeout game before he flew out to right field on a 2-2 count in the ninth inning of a 4-4 game. Smith was the next batter and delivered the game-winning hit. Ohtani still leads the majors with 100 runs scored. He is atop the NL in slugging (.612), total bases (254), OPS (.989) and 38 home runs. Roberts hopes Ohtani is more disciplined at the plate in the series finale Wednesday night because Nick Martinez is the same type of pitcher as Lodolo. 'Martinez is gonna be nibbling, and it's going to be cutter and changeup down below. And he's got to get back to the big part of the field and not chase down below,' Roberts said. Ohtani will also be making his seventh pitching start of the season on Wednesday as the Dodgers look for him to go four innings as he comes back from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in 2023. Ohtani is 0-0 with a 1.50 ERA.
Japan Today
a day ago
- Sport
- Japan Today
A rare first for Ohtani: Dodgers superstar strikes out in his first 4 plate appearances
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani walks to the dugout after striking out during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Tuesday, July 29, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) baseball By JOE REEDY Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani had another first in his MLB career. Ohtani struck out in his first four plate appearances Tuesday night against the Cincinnati Reds, the first time he has done that in his eight seasons and 981 games in the majors. Against the Seattle Mariners on July 17, 2021, while playing for the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani popped up to the shortstop in his first at-bat and then struck out in his next four times at the plate. Despite Ohtani's tough night at the plate, the Dodgers rallied for a 5-4 victory on an RBI double by Will Smith in the ninth inning. 'Tonight, I just don't think he saw (Cincinnati starter Nick) Lodolo well at all, clearly. And I think he just got into swing mode," manager Dave Roberts said. "When he's (at his) best, he's getting the baseball up, and he's using the big part of the field. And especially in this ballpark where he doesn't need to go to right field. But tonight, just one of those nights that he just couldn't help him help himself from swinging.' Ohtani came into the game on a nine-game hitting streak, where he had gone 11 for 36 with six home runs 13 RBIs and nine runs scored. It is the sixth time the Japanese superstar and reigning NL MVP has struck out four times in a game. It is the second time this season, with the other coming against San Diego on June 17. Lodolo became the 13th pitcher to strike out Ohtani three times in a game. The Reds left-hander got Ohtani to chase a curveball out of the strike zone in the first and fifth innings, and got him looking on a 94.6 mph fastball in the third. 'I was going right after him. I definitely threw some good heaters in some good spots and I was able to spin the ball well too as well,' Lodolo said. Graham Ashcraft then whiffed Ohtani on an inside slider in the seventh. Ohtani was one strike away from his first five strikeout game before he flew out to right field on a 2-2 count in the ninth inning of a 4-4 game. Smith was the next batter and delivered the game-winning hit. Ohtani still leads the majors with 100 runs scored. He is atop the NL in slugging (.612), total bases (254), OPS (.989) and 38 home runs. Roberts hopes Ohtani is more disciplined at the plate in the series finale Wednesday night because Nick Martinez is the same type of pitcher as Lodolo. 'Martinez is gonna be nibbling, and it's going to be cutter and changeup down below. And he's got to get back to the big part of the field and not chase down below,' Roberts said. Ohtani will also be making his seventh pitching start of the season on Wednesday as the Dodgers look for him to go four innings as he comes back from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in 2023. Ohtani is 0-0 with a 1.50 ERA. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Fox Sports
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Unswept Reds: Lodolo goes distance in shutout win at Nats as Cincinnati again avoids series sweep
Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Nick Lodolo went the distance and kept the Cincinnati Reds as the only team in the majors that hasn't been swept this season. Lodolo threw a four-hitter for his first career shutout and the Reds snapped a three-game losing streak, including the first two games of their series at Washington, with a 5-0 win in the finale against the Nationals on Wednesday. 'We needed a win. ... I don't care how,' Reds manager Terry Francona said. 'Some games feel like they bigger than others. They're not, but they feel like it. But I'm glad we won today that's what we came for.' The Reds (53-50), who have an off day Thursday, have played 33 series this season without being swept to set a franchise record. It was the fifth time this year they won the finale after losing the first two in a three-game series. Cincinnati took two out of three at the New York Mets coming out of the All-Star break to match the 32 series in a row by the 1970 Reds, who went on to win the first of five National League pennants in a seven-season span capped by back-to-back World Series titles in 1975 and '76. That 1970 team was swept in two games at the Chicago Cubs in its 33rd series of the season. Lodolo (8-6) struck out eight without a walk, throwing 76 of his career-high 105 pitches for strikes. The Reds have won seven of his nine starts since the beginning of June. 'Lodolo showed up big for us to be able to come out here and, you know, obviously not get swept, but just kind of get us back on track to feeling like what we feel like we can do as a ball club,' right fielder Jake Fraley said. 'He's a phenomenal ball player. He's been pitching his butt off all year. And this is just another start that he's been doing all year.' It was the first time in Lodolo's 68 career starts that the 27-year-old left-hander pitched into the ninth inning, and the first time he went at least seven innings in back-to-back starts. It was his second career complete game, but the other was a rain-shortened 4-2 win in six innings over Minnesota on June 18. 'I got the rainout CG, but now I got a real one,' Lodolo said. 'It's pretty cool. I feel like I had everything kind of working for the most part. Good defense, I got some early outs that helped me stay in the game that long.' Cincinnati took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning, when Elly Del La Cruz had a leadoff walk, stole second base and scored on Fraley's single. It stayed that way until the Reds added two runs in the eighth before center fielder Jacob Young's inning-ending leaping catch at the wall to take a homer away from Will Benson. 'I know the score ended up 5-0. That wasn't a 5-0 game, that was 1-0, (Lodolo) had to pitch through that for the majority of the game,' Francona said. 'I thought as the game went he got stronger, which is a really good sign. You know, his breaking ball has been a weapon. And as he holds his velocity the entire game he threw strikes. He just really pitched a great game.' ___ AP MLB: recommended Item 1 of 3
Winnipeg Free Press
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Unswept Reds: Lodolo goes distance in shutout win at Nats as Cincinnati again avoids series sweep
WASHINGTON (AP) — Nick Lodolo went the distance and kept the Cincinnati Reds as the only team in the majors that hasn't been swept this season. Lodolo threw a four-hitter for his first career shutout and the Reds snapped a three-game losing streak, including the first two games of their series at Washington, with a 5-0 win in the finale against the Nationals on Wednesday. 'We needed a win. … I don't care how,' Reds manager Terry Francona said. 'Some games feel like they bigger than others. They're not, but they feel like it. But I'm glad we won today that's what we came for.' The Reds (53-50), who have an off day Thursday, have played 33 series this season without being swept to set a franchise record. It was the fifth time this year they won the finale after losing the first two in a three-game series. Cincinnati took two out of three at the New York Mets coming out of the All-Star break to match the 32 series in a row by the 1970 Reds, who went on to win the first of five National League pennants in a seven-season span capped by back-to-back World Series titles in 1975 and '76. That 1970 team was swept in two games at the Chicago Cubs in its 33rd series of the season. Lodolo (8-6) struck out eight without a walk, throwing 76 of his career-high 105 pitches for strikes. The Reds have won seven of his nine starts since the beginning of June. 'Lodolo showed up big for us to be able to come out here and, you know, obviously not get swept, but just kind of get us back on track to feeling like what we feel like we can do as a ball club,' right fielder Jake Fraley said. 'He's a phenomenal ball player. He's been pitching his butt off all year. And this is just another start that he's been doing all year.' It was the first time in Lodolo's 68 career starts that the 27-year-old left-hander pitched into the ninth inning, and the first time he went at least seven innings in back-to-back starts. It was his second career complete game, but the other was a rain-shortened 4-2 win in six innings over Minnesota on June 18. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. 'I got the rainout CG, but now I got a real one,' Lodolo said. 'It's pretty cool. I feel like I had everything kind of working for the most part. Good defense, I got some early outs that helped me stay in the game that long.' Cincinnati took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning, when Elly Del La Cruz had a leadoff walk, stole second base and scored on Fraley's single. It stayed that way until the Reds added two runs in the eighth before center fielder Jacob Young's inning-ending leaping catch at the wall to take a homer away from Will Benson. 'I know the score ended up 5-0. That wasn't a 5-0 game, that was 1-0, (Lodolo) had to pitch through that for the majority of the game,' Francona said. 'I thought as the game went he got stronger, which is a really good sign. You know, his breaking ball has been a weapon. And as he holds his velocity the entire game he threw strikes. He just really pitched a great game.' ___ AP MLB:
