SAN FRANCISCO — Shohei Ohtani’s on-base streak came to a close with a hit in the seventh inning during Tuesday’s game.
However, this was not enough to ignite a comeback as the Dodgers fell 3-1 to the San Francisco Giants.
By the time Ohtani stepped up for his final at-bat in the series opener at Oracle Park, the night had already dragged on for him and his teammates.
The Dodgers were immediately on the back foot, having allowed three runs in the first inning due to a series of errors. Aside from a brief rally in the fourth inning, they struggled offensively throughout the game.
Ohtani was struggling as well, having not recorded a hit up to that point. He struck out twice in the first two innings and managed a weak flyout in the fifth.
But then, a small glimmer of hope emerged as he sparked a brief moment of excitement.
With two outs, after Alex Freeland walked, Ohtani dashed down the line, narrowly avoiding a close play at first with a ground ball to shortstop.
This hit extended Ohtani’s on-base streak to 53 games, tying him with Sean Green for the longest streak while playing for the Dodgers in Los Angeles—Green had a similar run back in 2000. Ohtani also surpassed Duke Snyder for the most consecutive games in franchise history, set in Brooklyn in 1954.
“It’s a testament to his talent,” said manager Dave Roberts about the four-time MVP, noting that Ohtani has still performed well even while struggling lately with just 11 hits in his last 43 at-bats. “He hasn’t quite found his groove yet, but he’s impactful nonetheless.”
Sadly for the Dodgers (16-7), they couldn’t take advantage of a mediocre offensive showing, marking their third loss in four games.
Earlier, critical opportunities were squandered. In one instance, with the bases loaded in the fourth inning, Alex Cole hit into an inning-ending double play.
Things deteriorated further after Ohtani’s infield hit, which brought in two runs in the seventh inning. Kyle Tucker struck out, eliminating that scoring chance. The Dodgers left a runner stranded on second in the eighth, ultimately wasting eight potential runs and finishing 0-for-5 with three hits and seven walks in scoring position.
“I thought I had a solid at-bat. I really connected,” said Cole. “But at the end of the day, we just didn’t come through with the timely hits.”
Ohtani’s landmark achievement, unfortunately, was overshadowed by the loss.
what it means
On a side note, the Dodgers didn’t have to worry about finding a closer following Edwin Diaz’s injury.
After winning against the Rockies in the first game without their pricey $69 million offseason acquisition, Tuesday’s defeat meant there was no chance for a save.
Despite this, discussions surrounding the team’s closer situation became a point of interest even before the game started.
Roberts indicated they will approach the role by committee for now but, when asked who might benefit from this, he mentioned Tanner Scott as a possibility.
This revelation might cause concern among Dodgers fans, given Scott’s past record of just 23 saves in 33 opportunities as the primary closer last year.
That said, he’s having a better season thus far, having pitched eight scoreless innings on Tuesday, bringing his ERA down to 0.93.
who is hot
Yoshinobu Yamamoto shone on the mound after allowing three runs in the first inning, delivering what could be considered his best pitching performance of the season.
Following the Giants’ early lead, he didn’t allow another run over seven innings, throwing 101 pitches in total. He struck out seven batters, notably retiring 19 of the last 22 faced while recording a 2.48 ERA through five starts.
“This proves why he’s considered an ace,” Roberts remarked. “It speaks volumes that he managed his pitch count and still gave us a chance to win.”
who is not?
The Dodgers’ defensive play, particularly in the first inning, was problematic.
The top of the first began with a throwing error by shortstop Kim Hye-sung, which instantly placed pressure on Yamamoto. The inning concluded with a difficult play that Kyle Tucker couldn’t manage in right field.
But a particularly troublesome moment involved a collision between Cole and Teoscar Hernandez in left-center field. What should have been a routine catch turned chaotic due to communication breakdown.
Initially, Hernandez misjudged the ball’s flight, leading him to move back while Cole attempted to catch it. Neither player heard the other calling for the play, resulting in a mishap. Although Cole snagged the ball, he couldn’t prevent the advance of the runner from third, converting into a sacrifice fly.
“That’s certainly not how you want to kick off a series,” Roberts reflected.
to the next
Shohei Ohtani (2-0, 0.50 ERA) is set to pitch for the Dodgers as they continue their series against the Giants on Wednesday. He will also return as a designated hitter, although Roberts took a while to confirm this in his pregame remarks.
Roberts mentioned the team will look for chances to have Ohtani pitch on designated days, similar to last week when he was dealing with a shoulder contusion. “It can take a toll,” Roberts observed regarding Ohtani’s dual role. “Clearly, he’s managing well, but I’d like to chat with him about what makes sense moving forward.”
Nonetheless, Roberts expressed a good feeling about Ohtani’s pitching for Wednesday, even with a day game on Thursday.
