Anaheim, California – Shohei Ohtani fell short in his attempt at yet another MLB record on Sunday, showing dominant form on the mound but failing to register a win as the Los Angeles Angels lost their final home game of the season 5-1 against the Seattle Mariners.
Ohtani, who was 9-2 in 22 starts entering Sunday, had a chance to match all-time great Babe Ruth as the only player in the American or National leagues to win 10 games as a pitcher while hitting 10 homers in the same season.
The 27-year-old Japanese worked seven innings in a 10-strikeout, zero-walk performance, giving up only one run — a seventh-inning homer by rookie Jarred Kelenic — on five hits and leaving with the game tied 1-1.
Ohtani did reach another milestone, however, ending the third inning with his 150th strikeout of the season.
Fans gave him a standing ovation as he walked off the Angel Stadium mound for the last time this season. He was 1-for-3 at the plate.
Angels relievers Jose Quijada (0-2) and Austin Warren combined to give up four runs in the eighth as the bullpen could not build upon Ohtani’s gem.
It is unclear whether the two-way star will make a further mound appearance in the Angels’ remaining games on the road.
“I threw long innings today so I don’t know about that yet,” Ohtani said, when asked whether he would start the season finale in Seattle on Oct. 3.
He now has a 3.18 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 156 strikeouts in 130⅓ innings. At the plate, Ohtani is hitting .258 with 45 homers, 98 RBIs and 24 stolen bases.
Seattle starter Marco Gonzales (10-5) pitched seven strong innings to match Ohtani, and the Mariners pulled within 2½ games in the chase for the AL’s second and final wild-card berth.
The Angels’ only run came on a homer by Kurt Suzuki with one out in the bottom of the second.
The loss dropped the Angels to 74-82, ensuring their sixth straight losing season.
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Source : Baseball – The Japan Times