Ohtani Returns Strongly Against Cardinals
Shohei Ohtani made his long-awaited return to the mound on Wednesday, following an early exit from a previous game on July 30 due to cramps. The reigning National League MVP favorite demonstrated that he was back to form.
In a matchup against the St. Louis Cardinals, Ohtani delivered an impressive performance, pitching four innings and allowing one run while also contributing to the offense with a two-run home run in the third inning, giving the Los Angeles Dodgers a brief 2-1 lead. However, the Cardinals rallied to secure a 5-3 victory.
Ohtani’s Strong Start
Ohtani quickly eased concerns about his recent injury, tossing just 10 pitches in the first inning against the Cardinals, capped off by a 100 mph strike to Alec Burleson. He followed that with another flawless second inning, striking out two batters and throwing only 11 pitches.
The third inning proved to be more challenging. After a misplay led to a leadoff infield pop-up landing safe, Jordan Walker moved into scoring position and was ultimately brought home by Brendan Donovan’s two-out bunt, giving the Cardinals a 1-0 advantage.
Dodgers Respond with Ohtani’s Home Run
The lead was short-lived. In the bottom of the third, Alex Call opened with a double, and shortly thereafter, Ohtani launched a powerful drive into the center-field stands off Cardinals pitcher Matthew Liberatore, bringing Call home. This marked Ohtani’s 39th home run of the season, placing him just one behind NL leader Kyle Schwarber and three shy of MLB leader Cal Raleigh. Notably, it was also the 1,000th hit of Ohtani’s career.
Ohtani continued to impress on the mound by striking out the side in the fourth inning, showcasing his pitch control and ability to maintain the Dodgers’ lead at 2-1.
Struggles for the Dodgers’ Bullpen
After Ohtani’s solid four-inning outing—where he allowed just two hits, struck out eight, and lowered his ERA to 2.37—the Dodgers expanded their lead to 3-1 in the fourth. However, Ohtani did not return for the fifth; instead, reliever Justin Wrobleski took his place.
In the sixth inning, the Cardinals clawed back, adding a run off Wrobleski to narrow the Dodgers’ lead to 3-2. The real turning point came in the eighth inning when St. Louis capitalized on several mistakes by the Dodgers, ultimately retaking the lead.
With singles by Burleson and Masyn Winn, Walker delivered a crucial game-tying RBI. A subsequent throw by Dodgers third baseman Alex Freeland, attempting to catch Walker stealing, resulted in a throwing error that allowed Winn to score the go-ahead run, making it 4-3.
Cardinals Secure the Win
St. Louis added an insurance run in the ninth inning, and reliever Riley O’Brien closed out the game scorelessly, sealing a 5-3 victory. Despite a stellar showing from Ohtani, the day ended with the Dodgers unable to hold their lead as the Cardinals rallied for the win.
