Baseball
Shohei Ohtani Smacks 50 Homers in Back-to-Back Seasons
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani slugged his 50th homer of the season in the eighth inning against the Phillies. He also tossed five no-hit innings in LA's loss.
Los Angeles Dodgers starter Shohei Ohtani held the Philadelphia Phillies to no hits in five sparkling innings on Tuesday, September 16.
The reigning National League MVP struck out five batters and threw 68 pitches in that span. After his mound duties ended, he remained in the game as LA's designated hitter.
Ohtani slugged an eighth-inning solo home run, his 50th of the season.
In doing so, he became the sixth player in MLB history with 50 or more homers in back-to-back seasons. In 2024, Ohtani whacked 54 homers to go along with 59 stolen bases, as he became MLB's first 50-50 player.
Shohei Ohtani Joins Elite Fraternity
Who are the other five players in MLB history to hit 50 or more round-trippers in consecutive seasons?
Babe Ruth was the first to do so in 1920-21.
The others: Mark McGwire, Ken Griffey Jr, Sammy Sosa and Alex Rodriguez.
Bullpen Woes for the Dodgers
LA scored two runs in the eighth on Tuesday to tie it at 6-6 entering the ninth inning. The Dodgers bullpen struggled in the final frame, allowing three runs as the reigning World Series champions lost 9-6 at Dodger Stadium.
For LA, bullpen woes magnify their overall inconsistency in close games. The Dodgers have only won six of their last 20 games decided by one run.
Before the ninth-inning shortcomings of the Dodgers bullpen, the team's shutout bid quickly vanished in the sixth, when Justin Wrobleski allowed five runs and five hits in one-third of an inning.
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Author: Ed Odeven
Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.