Ohtani Shohei Marks 14th Win, 200th Strikeout
In Major League Baseball, Japanese two-way star Ohtani Shohei of the Los Angeles Angels earned his 14th win and 200th strikeout. The Angels defeated the Minnesota Twins 4-2 on Friday in the Twin Cities.
Ohtani was the starting pitcher and designated hitter, batting third.
He struggled with his control at the beginning of the game, allowing a run in the first inning. In the second inning, he was nearly hit by a broken bat, but managed to step aside. He found his pace soon afterward.
Ohtani got his fourth strikeout in the fourth inning to reach 200 for the season.
He came up to bat in the seventh inning with runners on first and second. An RBI single expanded the Angels' lead to 4-2.
Ohtani pitched five innings, with three hits, two runs earned, and seven strikeouts. It was his 14th win of the season.
Meanwhile in Los Angles, Ohtani's former teammate Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals marked his 700th career homer against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Pujols hit his 699th in the third inning to set the stage for number 700 in the fourth. He is the fourth player to reach that mark, joining Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds.
The 42-year-old started his major league career in 2001 and has played for three teams, including the Angels.
He has announced he will retire after the 2022 season.