Ohtani Gives Up 4 Runs in the 5th, Dodgers Rally to Sweep Rays

(Los Angeles, 17th, Central News Agency) Playing through injury, Los Angeles Dodgers' Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani allowed multiple earned runs in consecutive starts on the mound, marking his first rough patch of the season.

According to the Associated Press, while Ohtani pitched four scoreless innings against the Tampa Bay Rays today, he later gave up multiple runs in a single inning—the second time this has happened in a week. Ohtani had a grueling outing, dealing not only with soreness from an old left knee injury but also a blister on his right middle finger that popped and bled later in the game.

His knee injury caused him to miss a game in Chicago last week, and his four-game winning streak as a starter was snapped in Pittsburgh, where he ended up with a no-decision.

Through an interpreter, Ohtani stated, "It's just part of the game. You rarely get the chance to play when your body is 100% perfect, so I just face it calmly. The most important thing is that we were able to win a game like this."

Ohtani (who improved to 7-2) threw 26 pitches in the fifth inning, allowing five hits and four runs. However, he immediately bounced back in the sixth, retiring the side in order to complete his pitching duties. The Dodgers then launched a comeback, ultimately securing a 5-4 come-from-behind victory. The win not only earned Ohtani the victory but also completed the franchise's second-ever series sweep against the Rays.

He added, "Actually, it was mainly the fifth inning that I wasn't satisfied with, but other than that, my condition was quite good, and my overall feeling was great."