'Amazing' Ohtani's 0.82 ERA, no-hitter in 6 innings with 7 strikeouts and 9th home run the day after being hit by a pitch! 'Substitute' Kim Hye-seong also delivers a bullet hit... Dodgers surge on 5-game winning streak [LAD Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

All one can say is "amazing." Shohei Ohtani (32, LA Dodgers), who was substituted in the middle of the game the previous day (27th) after being hit by a pitch on his wrist, put on a one-man show.

On the 28th (Korea time), Ohtani started as the pitcher and leadoff hitter in a home game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, USA, leading the Dodgers to a 4-1 victory in the MLB regular season.

His performance as a pitcher was even more dazzling. Ohtani allowed no hits over 6 innings, walked 4 (3 free passes, 1 hit by pitch), struck out 7, and gave up 1 earned run to secure his 5th win (2 losses) of the season. He mixed a 97.4 mph (about 156.8 km/h) fastball (50 pitches) with sweepers (38 pitches), curves (5 pitches), sinkers (4 pitches), and splitters (2 pitches), throwing 99 pitches total and generating 14 swings and misses. As a result, Ohtani's season pitching stats stand at 9 games, 4 wins, 2 losses, 0.82 ERA, 55 innings, and 61 strikeouts, raising expectations for his first Cy Young Award.

He also made an impact as a hitter. Ohtani launched a home run from his first at-bat in the 1st inning, becoming the hero of the go-ahead run. His opponent was Tomoyuki Sugano, a senior player on the Japanese national team, whom Ohtani crushed with a 93.7 mph (about 150.8 km/h) fastball, sending it far over the center-field wall. It was his 9th home run of the season, traveling 424 feet (about 131.7 meters) at a speed of 111.3 mph (about 179.1 km/h).

He did not reach base again after that, finishing the game with 4 at-bats, 1 hit (1 home run), 1 RBI, 1 run scored, and 1 strikeout. Ohtani's season batting stats are a .269 batting average (193 at-bats, 52 hits), 9 home runs, 30 RBIs, 36 runs scored, 6 stolen bases, a .400 on-base percentage, a .482 slugging percentage, and an OPS of 0.882.

It was impressive that all this performance came the day after being hit by a pitch. On the 27th in the Colorado game, Ohtani was hit by a changeup from Kyle Freeland on his wrist. He later reached first base and even scored, but he was immediately substituted in the bottom of the 5th inning, raising concerns.

Meanwhile, Kim Hye-seong, who was excluded from the starting lineup that day, also delivered an impressive performance. Kim Hye-seong was substituted in as the left fielder to replace Teoscar Hernandez, who left the game in the top of the 3rd inning due to a hamstring injury.

In his first at-bat in the bottom of the 5th inning, Kim Hye-seong crushed Sugano's 92.5 mph (about 148.9 km/h) sinker, resulting in a two-run single. It was a bullet hit traveling at 98.1 mph (about 157.9 km/h).

Although he did not record another hit, he stood out in the field. In the top of the 7th inning, leadoff hitter Will Castro's hit headed toward the area beyond the left-field foul line and over the wall. Although Kim Hye-seong was at a somewhat distant position, he chased the ball to the end and caught it, earning applause from the fans.

Thanks to Ohtani's outstanding performance both on the mound and at the plate, the Dodgers defeated Colorado 4-1. In the lineup, Andy Pages went 4 for 4 with 2 hits (1 home run), 1 RBI, and 1 run scored, while Freddie Freeman went 4 for 4 with 2 hits (1 home run), 1 RBI, and 1 run scored, supporting Ohtani. With this 5-game winning streak, the Dodgers improved to 36 wins and 20 losses, maintaining first place in the National League West by 4.5 games over the second-place Arizona Diamondbacks (31 wins, 24 losses).

Colorado fell into a 5-game losing streak, remaining in fifth place in the National League West with 20 wins and 36 losses. Starting pitcher Sugano pitched 4⅔ innings, allowing 6 hits (2 home runs), walking 1, striking out 3, and giving up 3 earned runs, marking his 4th loss (4 wins) of the season. It was a regret for Sugano that the team's offense managed only 1 hit.

The Dodgers took an early lead. In the bottom of the 1st inning, leadoff hitter Ohtani crushed Sugano's third pitch, a fastball, sending it over the center-field wall. Following that, Freeman also hit a three-run home run to left field with the third pitch, a curveball on the outside. The Dodgers led 2-0.

Colorado also launched a counterattack. Against Ohtani, leadoff hitter T.J. Rumfield drew a walk in the top of the 4th inning, and Hunter Goodman reached base on a hit-by-pitch. Troy Johnston's ground ball resulted in a 1-out situation with runners on first and third, and Castro's ground ball to second base allowed Rumfield to score at home.

But that was all. Instead, the Dodgers added another run in the bottom of the 4th inning after Kim Hye-seong's hit with two outs, followed by Smith's double and Alex Cole's sacrifice fly to left field. In the bottom of the 8th inning, Pages hit a solo home run to left field, sealing the victory.

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*This content was translated by AI.