2 weeks Ago By Chad Moriyama
Share Facebook Twitter The Dodgers won today’s game against the Marlins by a 20-4 blowout score, an important one to get so they could be out of sweep range of the Padres with that series coming up, and to take the series two games to one. They also clinched a playoff spot with a win. Realistically though, all anybody cares about is Shohei Ohtani ‘s absolutely comical day to create the 50-50 club .
.. and then the 51-51 club.
The road to 50/50. Congratulations Shohei on being the only player in MLB history to join the 50/50 club! pic.twitter.
com/KLD7Xj4tqf — Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 19, 2024 ====== But let’s start at the beginning. Bouncing back from his worst start as a Dodger, Jack Flaherty looked fine today, though with some room for concern. Much like his other outings, the runs he does give up usually come on homers, and Jake Burger ‘s solo shot in the 2nd and Griffin Conine ‘s two-run shot in the 5th accounted for all three runs Flaherty surrendered.
The Dodgers ended up scoring enough that it didn’t matter much, and most of the concern was around his fastball velocity: 6 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 5 K, 96 Pitches. Update: He had a few above this in the 6th. Dunno.
https://t.co/PezWMbglJb — Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) September 19, 2024 On the other end was history. Shohei Ohtani started the game with a double that almost cleared the wall, and with one out Freddie Freeman walked.
Ohtani and Freeman then executed a double steal to get him to 48 homers and 50 steals on the year. 48/50! pic.twitter.
com/e9QdIs41yM — Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 19, 2024 Ohtani then scored on a Will Smith sacrifice fly to start the scoring for the Dodgers. They started a rally again in the 2nd behind a Max Muncy walk and Gavin Lux infield single, but a couple of quick outs didn’t see them move. Thankfully, Ohtani stepped up a singled to score Muncy to drive in a run.
He followed that by stealing second, giving him 48 homers and 51 steals on the day, though this one didn’t result in runs. We didn't have to wait long for the next one. 51 stolen bases for Shohei! pic.
twitter.com/PmuaDK2XRX — MLB (@MLB) September 19, 2024 The crooked number came in the 3rd, as Will Smith got hit with one out, Tommy Edman singled, and then back-to-back-to-back walks to Max Muncy, Gavin Lux, and Andy Pages plated two runs to give the Dodgers four. A Chris Taylor sac fly followed, but it was Ohtani again with a double that scored two more, though he unfortunately got thrown out trying to stretch at third.
Seven runs. A five-spot in the third! pic.twitter.
com/sfjiue8ure — Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 19, 2024 After some quiet time in the 4th and 5th frames, it was Ohtani again that got the Dodgers back on the board in the 6th, this time with his 49th homer of the year to make 49 homers and 51 steals history, and making the game 9-3. Putting on a Sho with homer No. 49! pic.
twitter.com/TpiOhimPQM — Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 19, 2024 The 7th saw he even more scoring, as a one-out walk from Edman was followed by a Muncy single, and a Lux walk loaded the bases. Andy Pages then doubled a pair of runs home, and after a groundout, well, the show arrived.
Because what really mattered is Ohtani. Skip Schumaker and Mike Baumann decided to go after him with runners on second and third. I misquoted him.
The full quote: “Fuck that. I’ve got too much respect for this guy for that shit to happen.” pic.
twitter.com/ejWFRd1p9T — Tipping Pitches (@tipping_pitches) September 19, 2024 They got ahead of him 0-2, but a wild pitch scored a run and made the count 1-2. One more breaking ball left too far up in the zone, and one more swing to deposit it into the left-center seats for his 50th homer of the year and 50 homers and 51 steals on the year, making history and his own club.
THERE IS ONLY ONE SHOHEI OHTANI. pic.twitter.
com/rKgJtW8h2l — Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 19, 2024 He also breaks the Dodger club record for homers in a single season, surpassing Shawn Green . Shohei Ohtani sets a new Dodger franchise record for home runs in a single season with 50! pic.twitter.
com/TilWcc5vHy — Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 19, 2024 Curtain call on the road. Take a bow, Shohei. pic.
twitter.com/S88h6BXg3Z — Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 19, 2024 Oh right, that made it 14-3. Not for that long though, as after a quiet time, it was Ohtani AGAIN in the 9th, against a position player Muncy got hit, CT3 singled, and Ohtani crushed his third of the day and 51st homer of the year.
51/51 FOR SHOHEI OHTANI. pic.twitter.
com/VoJA2PMFnB — Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 19, 2024 17-3. Edman later singled to make it 19-3 and then Muncy singled to make it 20-3. To finish off the game, Evan Phillips pitched around some trouble for a scoreless 7th, and Zach Logue bounced back from his disaster yesterday to get a scoreless 8th but did give up a homer in the 9th to make it 20-4 in the end.
====== NL WEST RECORD Dodgers 91-62 Padres 87-66 (4 GB) Diamondbacks 84-68 (6.5 GB)* *Still to play. The Dodgers will now return home for a three-game series against the Rockies, starting at the usual time of 4:10 PM HT/7:10 PM PT/10:10 PM ET.
It’ll be a bullpen game and/or a call-up from the minors facing off against Kyle Freeland ..
