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Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
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Tom Dierberger

How Shohei Ohtani Fared in Dodgers’ Game 7 Showdown vs. Blue Jays

The Dodgers forced a Game 7 with a drama-filled 3–1 victory in Game 6 on Friday night. Shortly afterwards, it was reported that Los Angeles was going to start two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani on the mound for the winner-take-all Game 7 at Rogers Centre.

Ohtani, the best player in baseball, had a chance to shine bright on the biggest stage MLB can offer.

Here’s a look at how Ohtani fared—both at the plate and on the mound—in the Dodgers’ dramatic 5–4 comeback win in Game 7 to secure their second straight World Series title.

Pitching

Ohtani had a rough night pitching in Game 7.

The two-way superstar was pulled from the mound in the third inning after allowing three runs on five hits and two walks in 2 1/3 innings. He tallied three strikeouts before exiting the game.

Ohtani retired the Blue Jays in order in the first inning and escaped a furious rally in the second by striking out Andrés Giménez with the bases loaded.

The third inning is when trouble emerged. Ohtani allowed a leadoff single to George Springer, who moved over to second base on Nathan Lukes’s sacrifice bunt. After a wild pitch moved Springer to third, Ohtani intentionally walked Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to try to set up the double play.

On the very next pitch, Blue Jays second baseman Bo Bichette hammered an 88.7 slider 442 feet into the center field seats for a 3–0 lead.

Ohtani was yanked from the mound after that swing, and Dodgers reliever Justin Wrobleski came in to close out the third inning.

Hitting

In 11 drama-filled innings of Game 7, Ohtani went 2-for-5 with a walk at the dish.

Ohtani led off the game in the top of the first inning with a single to center field measured at 100.2 mph off the bat. The next two batters, Will Smith and Freddie Freeman, moved him over to second and then third base, but he was stranded there when Mookie Betts grounded out to end the inning.

In the third inning, Ohtani came up with two outs and nobody on base. He hit a screaming line drive to left field—measured at 104.4 mph—but Nathan Lukes caught it for the third out.

Then in the top of the fifth, Ohtani got on with another single, putting two men on with one out in the inning, but the Dodgers couldn’t turn the opportunity into runs.

Ohtani walked in the seventh inning and was stranded on the basepaths when Freddie Freeman grounded into a double play. In the ninth, Ohtani flew out to left field. And in his final at-bat of the season, Ohtani got jammed and grounded out to second base in the 11th.

In 17 games this postseason, Ohtani batted .265/.405/.691 with three doubles, one triple and eight homers. He went 9-for-27 with three doubles, three homers and a .333/.500/.778 slash line in seven World Series games.


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This article was originally published on www.si.com as How Shohei Ohtani Fared in Dodgers’ Game 7 Showdown vs. Blue Jays.

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