Shohei Ohtani (29-LA Angels) has won 10 games this season, becoming the first pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) history to record double-digit wins and home runs in back-to-back seasons.
Ohtani started the Angels’ 2023 Major League Baseball 메이저사이트 (MLB) home game against San Francisco at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, USA, on Tuesday (10 June) and pitched six innings of three-hit ball, striking out five and walking one to lead the Angels to a 4-1 victory. The win gave Ohtani his 10th win of the season (5-0) and lowered his ERA to 3.17.
Ohtani, who already has 40 home runs as a hitter, became the first major leaguer to win 10 games and hit at least 10 home runs in back-to-back seasons after posting 15 wins and 34 home runs last year.
Original baseball genius Babe Ruth won 13 games and hit 11 home runs in 1918. In 1919, he again hit 29 home runs, but only won nine games as a pitcher.
The American media, including the Associated Press, highlighted Ohtani’s record as “something that even Ruth couldn’t achieve.”
On the day, Ohtani looked a little shaky early on. In the top of the second inning, he gave up a single and a walk, and a throwing error by catcher Matt Tice put runners on first and second and third. Brandon Crawford followed with a sacrifice fly to centre field.
However, he got out of a jam in the top of the third inning. He retired JD Davis on a swinging strikeout and allowed just one hit before leaving the game.
After being held scoreless through five innings, the Angels bats came alive in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI single by Brandon Drury and a three-run double by Mike Moustakas to back up Ohtani. The bullpen kept the San Francisco bats in check with a scoreless inning (two hits, three walks, one strikeout).
At the plate, Ohtani batted second and went 2-for-2 with a walk, two strikeouts and a run scored. His batting average dropped to .306, but his on-base percentage rose to .410.