Shohei Ohtani (LA Angels) won the first match of the season against Aaron Judge (New York Yankees) by decision.
On the 19th (Korean time), Ohtani started as the designated hitter in the away game against the Yankees in the 2023 Major League Baseball (MLB) held at Yankee Stadium in New York, New York, USA.
Ohtani, who recorded 1 hit in 3 at-bats (1 home run), 2 RBIs, 2 runs, and 1 stolen base, including his 4th home run of the season, raised his season batting average from 0.298 to 0.300.
On the other hand, Judge, who played in right field as the Yankees’ second hitter, recorded no hits in three at-bats, one RBI, and two strikeouts, and his batting average dropped to 0.271. On the 15th, against the Minnesota Twins, after drawing the 5th arch of the season, the home run was cut off in the 3rd game.
Ohtani and Judge are the signs representing the current major leagues, and recently the American League Most Valuable Player (MVP) was also divided into two.
Ohtani, who doubles as a pitcher, won the American League MVP unanimously in 2021 with a record of 9 wins (2 losses) and an average ERA of 3.18 as a pitcher and 46 homers, 100 RBIs and 106 runs as a hitter.
The following year, Ohtani had a pitcher record of 15 wins (9 losses), an average ERA of 2.33, 219 strikeouts, 34 homers, 95 RBIs and 90 runs scored, but Judge won the American League MVP by setting a new record for most home runs (62) in the American League.
The two players are considered strong candidates for American League MVP this season as well. In the first confrontation that unfolded in the midst of this, Ohtani laughed.
Ohtani hit a big home run in his first at-bat. At the beginning of the first inning, when the score was 0-0, he hit the sweeper driven by Yankees starting pitcher Clark Schmidt’s 3rd pitch from second base safely, and fired a superior two-run gun with a distance of 391 feet (approximately 119.2m).
Coincidentally, the batted ball flew over the head of the judge in right field and went over the fence. It is Ohtani’s fourth home run of the season, which came seven games after the Toronto Blue Jays match on the 10th.
Ohtani, who struck out on a swing in the second at-bat in the top of the 3rd inning, scored a valuable extra run in the top of the 5th inning when the score was 4-2.
Ohtani, who came out as the lead batter, got on base after catcher Kyle Higashioka’s hit interruption, and immediately stole second base. Taking advantage of the catcher’s mistake on the throw, Ohtani headed to third base and stepped on home on Anthony Rendon’s center fielder’s sacrifice fly to make it 5-2.
Ohtani had a chance to run 1 out and 2nd base in the top of the 7th inning, but this time the ball headed for the glove of the right fielder’s jersey.온라인카지노
Judge had four hitting opportunities, but failed to produce a hit or home run.
Judge, who withdrew after striking out on a swing in the bottom of the first inning, was out in the bottom of the third inning with a line drive for third baseman with two outs on first and second base.
In the bottom of the 4th inning, when he was pursuing 1-4, he was given a chance to have one out and bases loaded, but Judge’s batted ball did not fly far and was caught by left fielder Taylor Ward. Third base runner Higashioka was brought home and the score was narrowed to 2-4, but Yankees fans, who had expected a full run from Judge, held their heads with both hands and sighed.
Judge bowed his head with a strikeout on a swing in the last at-bat in the bottom of the 7th inning.
The Angels defeated the Yankees 5-2 with Ohtani’s final two-run four. The Angels recorded a season record of 9-8, and the Yankees, who failed to win three in a row, went 10-7.
Meanwhile, the confrontation between Ohtani and Judge will be held at Yankee Stadium on the 20th and 21st.
However, as Ohtani’s next appearance was confirmed to be against Kansas City Royalson on the 22nd, the two superstars did not have a pitching match in this three-game series in New York.