Tigers shut down Ohtani to take exhibition game over Dodgers
Hiroto Saiki got the best of Shohei Ohtani this time and helped the Hanshin Tigers leave their mark on the Tokyo Series.
Saiki silenced the Los Angeles Dodgers' bats for five innings, and slugger Teruaki Sato hit a three-run home run off two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell to lead the Tigers to a 3-0 win over the World Series champions in front of a crowd of 42,059 at Tokyo Dome on Sunday.
The Tigers were a perfect 2-for-2 against the MLB clubs visiting Japan after beating the Chicago Cubs 3-0 on Saturday afternoon. Los Angeles split its games against the Tigers and the Yomiuri Giants.
The Dodgers and Cubs will open the MLB season at Tokyo Dome on Tuesday night.
Tigers slugger Teruaki Sato launches a three-run home run during an exhibition game against the Dodgers on Sunday in Tokyo. |
Joshua Mellin
Ohtani, who hit a two-run homer against the Giants in a 5-1 win on Saturday night, hit at the top of the Dodgers' order for the second straight day and was 0-for-2 before being lifted for a pinch hitter.
'I thought he took some good swings,' Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. 'But it was planned for him to take two at-bats today and get ready for the opener.'
The superstar homered from his knee against Saiki during one of Samurai Japan's warmup games in Osaka ahead of the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Saiki got a little revenge in the first inning on Sunday. He went ahead in the count 0-2 after Ohtani took a fastball for a strike and fouled off another. Saiki missed with a pair of forkballs before he got Ohtani to swing at a forkball in the dirt for the strikeout.
He retired the MLB star on a fly ball to center in the third inning.
The Tigers faithful gave Tokyo Dome a lively atmosphere on Sunday as Hanshin beat the Dodgers in an exhibition game. |
Joshua Mellin
Saiki struck out seven, allowed one hit and walked a batter over five innings.
The contest was scoreless heading into the bottom of the fourth.
Koji Chikamoto drew a walk to start the inning, and Takumu Nakano singled to record Hanshin's first hit.
Sato put a charge into the Tigers' cheering section with a homer to right to put the NPB club ahead 3-0.
'Chikamoto and Nakano created the chance for me, and I really wanted to take advantage of it,' said Sato, who had 16 home runs for Hanshin during the 2024 NPB campaign. 'I'm glad we ended up with the best result.'
The Dodgers faced a quick turnaround after playing the late game on Saturday.
Dodgers and Tigers players pose for a group photo after the game. |
Joshua Mellin
Manager Dave Roberts began Sunday's game with the same lineup, but made changes during the contest.
Perennial All-Star Mookie Betts, who is moving to shortstop this season, is recovering from an illness, and did not play for the second straight day. Betts worked out on the field during batting practice.
The Tigers faced two of the top pitchers in MLB in Snell and Tyler Glasnow, who entered the game to start the sixth.
Snell gave up three runs on three hits and struck out seven in 4⅓ innings. He walked two batters.
Glasnow officially threw three scoreless innings. The teams played the bottom of the ninth despite the Tigers being the home team, and Glasnow added another scoreless frame after escaping a bases-loaded situation.
Max Muncy, Andy Pages and Austin Barnes had singles for Los Angeles.
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