The Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani hit a two-run double on the plate and tossed 4 scoreless innings to help Japan win in direction of China at Thursday’s World Baseball Fundamental (WBC) opening.
Tens of 1000’s of spectators cheered for Ohtani, 28, on the Tokyo Dome in his first-ever baseball look in Japan since signing with the Angels in 2017.
Welcome to the Sho! Ohtani with a 2-run double and Japan now leads 3-0!
📺: FS1 and the FOX Sports activities actions App pic.twitter.com/YWKOVGs8HP
— FOX Sports activities actions: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 9, 2023
The MLB two-way well-known individual pulled off a stellar effectivity, foremost Japan to win in direction of China with a closing ranking of 8-1.
Collaborating in on the mound, Ohtani threw 4 scoreless innings in direction of China, putting out 5 of the 13 Chinese language language batters he confronted inside the course of. China’s Yang Jin was the one batter who managed to hit one amongst Ohtani’s 49 pitches in the midst of the fourth inning.
As a hitter, Ohtani hit a pitch from Weiyi Wang off the wall inside the left-center space that allowed his fellow teammates Kensuke Kondoh and Lars Nootbaar to achieve, giving Japan a lead of 3-0 by the fourth inning.
5 totally different hitters from the Samurai Japan group drove in on the very least a run, with Nootbaar going 2 for 4 with two walks from the leadoff spot. The Japanese group moreover scored a home run in the midst of the seventh inning, courtesy of Maki Shugo.
After the game, Ohtani praised his group whereas chatting with reporters.
“It was a great recreation obtained with a bunch effort,” Ohtani talked about. “I want to protect this momentum going.”
Hideki Kuriyama, supervisor of the Japanese group, believes that Ohtani nonetheless carried out correctly no matter not being in the easiest type for the most recent recreation.
“I’m glad we obtained because of worldwide video video games are certainly not simple,” Kuriyama talked about. “His scenario is not going to be that good nonetheless he saved us inside the recreation.”
Japan is about to face South Korea on the WBC on Friday.
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