04/01/26 12:31:00
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04/01 00:29 CDT Ohtani throws 6 scoreless innings in a drizzly debut on mound
as Dodgers beat Guardians 4-1
Ohtani throws 6 scoreless innings in a drizzly debut on mound as Dodgers beat
Guardians 4-1
By BETH HARRIS
AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) --- A dominant Shohei Ohtani pitched shutout ball for six
innings in his first start on the mound this season, and the Los Angeles
Dodgers beat the Cleveland Guardians 4-1 on Tuesday night in drizzly conditions.
Ohtani (1-0) allowed only a two-out double to Rhys Hoskins in the fourth. The
two-way superstar struck out six and walked three on 87 pitches, 54 for
strikes, in his first outing in 150 days since he started Game 7 of the World
Series against Toronto.
His Japanese countryman, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, won that game in relief as the
Dodgers clinched their second consecutive championship.
Max Muncy hit his first home run of the season for Los Angeles. Edwin Daz
pitched the ninth in a non-save situation and gave up an RBI single to Brayan
Rocchio.
Dodgers pitchers retired the leadoff hitter in each of the first eight innings
before Daz plunked Kyle Manzardo with a pitch to open the ninth.
After dropping the series opener 4-2, the Dodgers needed a win to avoid their
first series loss in March since 2018.
Muncy made it 2-0 with a 410-foot solo drive to the right-field pavilion off
reliever Kolby Allard in the sixth. Los Angeles added two runs in the eighth on
RBI singles by Teoscar Hernndez and Andy Pages.
Pages' two-out RBI single off starter Tanner Bibee (0-1) in the fourth gave the
Dodgers a 1-0 lead, the first time this season they scored first.
At the plate, Ohtani went 1 for 3 with a strikeout and two walks, extending his
on-base streak to 36 games dating to Aug. 24, 2025.
A fresh rosin bag was brought to the mound in the fifth when light rain began
falling. Ohtani wiped the damp ball between his pants legs.
The grounds crew was called out to groom the front slope of the mound,
specifically Ohtani's landing spot, after he issued his third walk with two
outs in the sixth. He used a metal tool to dig dirt lodged in the bottom of his
spikes. Ohtani then retired Hoskins with one pitch to end the inning.
Ohtani hit Angel Martinez on his left kneecap with a 96 mph fastball with two
outs in the fifth.
Up next
Cleveland RHP Gavin Williams (0-1, 5.40 ERA) starts the series finale Wednesday
against Yamamoto (1-0, 3.00), the third consecutive Japan-born pitcher to start
for the Dodgers in a major league first.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
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