3 days ago
San Diego Padres Pitcher Matsui Strikes Out Ohtani; Strikeout was 100th of Matsui's Major League Career
AP
San Diego Padres' Yuki Matsui winds up against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the seventh inning of a baseball game Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in San Diego.
SAN DIEGO — San Diego Padres reliever Yuki Matsui chalked up his 100th career strikeout in the major leagues on Thursday. And what a scalp it was.
Matsui fanned Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani for the second out in tossing a scoreless seventh inning of the third and last game of the series between the NL West rivals, won 5-2 by the Dodgers.
With one out, Ohtani swung and missed at a low sinker, then again for the third strike at a pitch outside of the strike zone.
'I got ahead in the count, so I didn't need to throw strikes,' Matsui said. As for retiring one of the majors' top sluggers, he added, 'It happens.'
Matsui followed by giving up a single to Mookie Betts, but struck out Freddie Freeman to end the inning.
Ohtani later tripled in the ninth inning for his lone hit in five at-bats, extending his consecutive hit streak to eight games.
This season, his second with the Padres, Matsui has a 2-1 record and 3.25 ERA in 29 games, with 32 strikeouts in 27 2/3 innings.
