Dodgers and Blue Jays talk about what makes Shohei Ohtani a special player
USA TODAY Sports interviewed members of the Dodgers and Blue Jays ahead of the World Series to discuss Shohi Ohtani’s unique talent.
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TORONTO — It turns out Blue Jays fans have been wasting their time booing and mocking the wrong Japanese star who let them become free agents.
Forget about Shohei Otani.
Los Angeles Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto is crushing the Blue Jays’ dream of winning the World Series for the first time in 32 years.
Yamamoto made postseason history Saturday night, beating the heart out of the Blue Jays’ powerful offense and pitching a four-hit complete game victory as the Dodgers defeated the Blue Jays 5-1, tying the World Series at one game apiece until the series resumed Monday night at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.
Yamamoto, who retired the last 20 batters he faced, became the first pitcher to pitch consecutive complete games in the playoffs since Curt Schilling of the 2001 World Series champion Arizona Diamondbacks. The last pitcher to pitch consecutive complete games that included at least one World Series appearance was Hall of Famer Tom Glavine in 1992 with Atlanta.
No Dodger player has accomplished this feat since Orel Hershiser, who won World Series MVP in 1988.
This was an impressive follow-up to Yamamoto’s complete game in Game 2 of the NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers, striking out seven batters, allowing only three hits and one run.
But while the outing in Milwaukee was great, this one was even better.
The Blue Jays’ best chance to reach Yamamoto came in the first inning, when George Springer led off with a double and Nathan Rooks followed with a single, putting runners on the corners.
Yamamoto shrugged his shoulders, struck out Vladimir Guerrero, induced a soft lineout from Alejandro Kirk, and struck out Dalton Varsho to end the inning.
Yamamoto allowed just two hits the rest of the game, one of which was a simple mistake in the second inning when Ernie Clement’s infield fly ball hit first baseman Freddie Freeman’s head and landed harmlessly, with a 100% catch rate.
Still, after Guerrero’s third-inning single and Alejandro Kirk’s sacrifice fly, Yamamoto was perfect.
20 up, 20 down.
Five strikeouts, zero walks.
Yamamoto was so dominant that the Blue Jays managed only two balls to the infield or outfield during a game played by 23 batters.
“He’s been great all year,” Dodgers All-Star catcher Will Smith said. He had three RBIs, including his first extra-base hit of the postseason, with a home run in the seventh inning to break a 1-1 tie. “He has gained experience since last year. He is very focused now.
“I have high expectations for him as always, but he’s just a competitor. He throws strikes one. He goes ahead. He’s got nasty stuff. It’s really tough on hitters.”
Make it virtually impossible.
That’s why the Dodgers paid Yamamoto $325 million two years ago, and Yamamoto turned down the Blue Jays and their desire to match or exceed their offer.
“I take every game as similarly as possible, whether it’s a regular-season game, the playoffs, the World Series. I think I’m in a pretty good place mentally right now.”
So are the Dodgers.
The series may be tied at 1-1, but all the momentum and home-field advantage will be back on the court for the Dodgers.
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