Japanese prodigy Shohei Ohtani on Tuesday blasted a home run on his home debut for the Los Angeles Angels, just two days after pitching his team to victory over the Oakland Athletics.
The 23-year-old two-way star brought Angel Stadium to its feet after belting a three-run shot out of right field as the Angels romped to a 13-2 win over the Cleveland Indians.
Ohtani’s homer came off a curveball from Indians starter Josh Tomlin to cap a six-run first inning by the Angels.
Angels players pretended to ignore a baffled-looking Ohtani as he returned to the dugout ready to celebrate, before they turned around en masse to embrace the rising star.
“Obviously it feels really, really good,” Ohtani said afterward through an interpreter.
“Not just my teammates, but the hitting coaches, all the staff, they all help me out, make me feel comfortable so my success is due to them too,” Ohtani said, who was given a soaking by teammates as he gave the on-field interview.
Ohtani’s dramatic debut was greeted with delight by Japanese media.
“Splendid three-run homer. Sho Time!” Sankei Sports said in its headline, punning on Ohtani’s first name.
“Slugger Ohtani made his extravagant debut at Angeles Stadium,” the sports daily said. “This is the two-way player. The genius born in Japan shocked the entire US.”
Ohtani had struggled during spring training for the Angels, prompting some observers to question whether he was ready to make his major league debut.
However, he has assuaged those concerns during his performances since the opening of the season.
Ohtani had already recorded a career hit in his Major League Baseball debut last week.
On Sunday he tossed a three hitter over six innings to set up a 7-4 win over the Athletics in his first start on the mound.
Ohtani was signed by the Angels after resisting overtures from several leading MLB franchises, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, the New York Yankees and the San Francisco Giants.
The two-way phenom has earned comparisons to Babe Ruth for his ability to pitch and hit, and led the Nippon Ham Fighters to their first championship in 10 years in 2016.
“He can hit when everyone expects him. That’s the way Shohei is,” Nippon Ham Fighters manager Hideki Kuriyama told reporters.
SWEEP THE LEG: Poirier, determined to best McGregor, after losing to him in 2014, used low calf kicks to throw ‘Notorious’ off his stand-up game, before dropping him American underdog Dustin Poirier yesterday shook up the world of mixed martial arts, beating up the legs of Irish superstar Conor McGregor before knocking him out at UFC 257 in Abu Dhabi. “I’m happy, but I’m not surprised. I put in the work,” Poirier said, after the referee stepped in after 2 minutes, 32 seconds of the second round to save McGregor from further damage, after he was dropped by a fierce combination of punches. The 32-year-old Poirier was ranked second in the flyweight division going into the fight, but still rated a heavy underdog by bookmakers to beat his fourth-ranked opponent,
World No. 1 Tai Tzu-ying yesterday eased past her Thai opponent to advance to the second round of the Toyota Thailand Open. The Taiwanese star toppled world No. 46 Supanida Katethong 21-16, 21-11 in 29 minutes at the Impact Arena in Bangkok. “I think I played OK today. I am feeling a little better than last week,” Tai said. Tomorrow, Tai faces Indonesia’s Gregoria Mariska Tunjung. The two have faced each other six times, with Tai beating the world No. 21 in all six matches. Tai on Sunday reached the final of the Yonex Thailand Open before losing decisively against Carolina Marin of Spain.
LOOKING TO REPEAT: World No. 7 Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin advanced to the round-of-16 at the Toyota Thailand Open, after winning the Yonex Thailand Open on Sunday Taiwan’s world No. 7 duo yesterday eased past the US’ world No. 37 pairing at the Toyota Thailand Open to reach the round-of-16 in Bangkok. Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin beat Phillip Chew and Ryan Chew 21-14, 21-11 in just 24 minutes. Lee and Wang, who won the men’s doubles title at the Yonex Thailand Open on Sunday, next face the world No. 34 pairing, Canada’s Jason Anthony Ho-Shue and Nyl Yakura. In men’s singles, Taiwan’s world No. 2 Chou Tien-chen again beat Thailand’s world No. 45 Suppanyu Avihingsanon, after edging past the Thai player in the opening round of the Yonex
Three new COVID-19 cases yesterday hit the Australian Open’s troubled buildup as a backlash grew against international tennis players flown in during a raging pandemic. Two of the new cases were players, state health officials said, taking the total infections to seven since more than 1,000 people arrived in largely COVID-19-free Australia on charter flights last week. The Victoria Department of Health and Human Services said that the two players and a third person associated with the tournament — a woman in her 20s, and two men in their 30s — had returned positive results. The year’s first Grand Slam, delayed three weeks,
RSS