Shohei Ohtani is still one win away from becoming the first player of the century to hit double digit wins and home runs in a single MLB season, as he suffered a 2-0 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday against the Texas Rangers.
In pursuit of his 10th win of 2022, Ohtani (9-6) saved eight hits over six innings, allowing just two runs and no hits, while striking out 11 at Angel Stadium.
Babe Ruth, who pitched for the Boston Red Sox from 1914 to 1919, won 13 games while hitting 11 home runs in 1918, the year he began spending time in the outfield.
Nathaniel Lowe of the Texas Rangers hits a solo home run against Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels in the fourth inning of a baseball game at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif., July 28, 2022. (Essonne Info) == Essonne Info
Bullet Rogan of the Kansas City Monarchs won 15 games as a pitcher and hit 15 homers in 1922, according to the Seamheads Negro Leagues Database.
Ohtani achieved the feat twice at the Japanese majors, in 2014 and 2016.
This is the sixth straight game in which Ohtani has retired more than 10 batters. Former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Hideo Nomo held the record for most consecutive double-digit outings by a Japanese player in MLB, with four games in 1995.
The Angels lost Game 1 of the four-game series after winning two of three games against the Kansas City Royals and securing their first win in nearly a month.
Los Angeles Angels pitcher Shohei Ohtani reacts after hitting a solo home run to Texas Rangers’ Nathaniel Lowe in the fourth inning of a baseball game at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif., July 28, 2022. (Essonne Info) == Essonne Info
At Rogers Center, Yusei Kikuchi returned from the injured list to earn his first win since June 30. He pitched five strong innings to help the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Detroit Tigers 5-3 in Game 1 of a four-game series.
Kikuchi (4-5), who was placed on the VA’s 15-day roster with a sprained neck earlier this month, allowed a run on two hits, including a home run solo from Willi Castro, and a walk with five strikeouts.
