Shohei Ohtani's solo house run within the first inning Friday night time in Toronto was his seventh of the season, which was one other report for the Dodgers' designated hitter. This time he tied his supervisor, Dave Roberts, for many homers in franchise historical past by a participant born in Japan.
Ohtani hit his 176th profession house run Sunday at Dodger Stadium, passing Hideki Matsui for essentially the most in main league historical past by a participant born in Japan. Then on Tuesday in Washington DC, Ohtani hit the toughest house run of his profession, simply shy of 119 mph off the bat.
However this Dodgers report is a bit more obscure, particularly when it was first led for the final 22 years by a participant recognized for his pace, not essentially his energy.
Earlier than Ohtani signed with the Dodgers, the listing of Japanese-born gamers to homer with the Dodgers was sparse, with solely Roberts and three pitchers — Hideo Nomo hit 4 homers with Los Angeles, whereas Kazuhisa Ishii and Kenta Maeda (within the his first MLB sport). !) hit one for every.
Again on April 12, when Ohtani legacy Matsui's profession mark, Roberts was requested about his personal Dodgers house run report for gamers born in Japan. Ohtani on the time had 4 house runs on the season.
“I nonetheless have a few days earlier than my report is damaged,” mentioned Roberts.
When the third of Ohtani's three doubles Wednesday at Nationals Park was nearly a house run, Roberts had an identical response.
Shohei Ohtani narrowly missed one other homer in his closing at-bat within the ninth. He would have tied Dave Roberts' Dodgers report for gamers born in Japan.
“I advised him I used to be praying for him to go down so he wouldn't get out of the ballpark,” Roberts joked. “I reside one other day.”
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) April 25, 2024
For now, Roberts additionally shares the mark with Ohtani, so let's take a look at all seven house runs Roberts hit with the Dodgers.
Could 21, 2002: Dodgers at Brewers
4 innings, 2 outs
off RHP Nelson Figueroa
Roberts' first Dodgers house run was hit to proper subject in Milwaukee. Roberts additionally stole a base on this sport and helped the Dodgers to a 5-0 run by six innings with Kevin Brown on the mound. However the Brewers rallied for eight runs within the seventh by Brown and Giovanni Carrara to provide the house crew the win.
Could 25, 2002: Dodgers at D-backs
2nd inning, 2 outs, grand slam
off RHP Rick Helling
Roberts began the scoring in what was a rout of the Dodgers with a second-inning grand slam at Financial institution One Ballpark. After a stroll to pitcher Andy Ashby to load the bases and Arizona main 1-0, Rick Helling was in a pickle.
From Mike DiGiovanna on the Los Angeles Occasions:
Not eager to stroll Roberts and power in a run, Helling hit a 2-1 fastball that Roberts despatched over the wall in proper subject for his second profession grand slam, his first coming in Toronto on September 24, 1999.
Roberts had three hits on this sport, together with a double, stole a base, and scored three runs. His 4 RBI tied a profession excessive, additionally completed with Cleveland (together with his different grand slam) in 1999 and with San Diego in 2006.
Roberts' first two house runs with the Dodgers coincided with one of many nice energy streaks in main league historical past. Shawn Inexperienced entered that Could 21 sport hitting simply .231/.339/.346 with three house runs in 42 video games, and was on a 1-for-19 skid. Inexperienced struck out twice in that Could 21 sport, then struck out 4 Two days later in one of the best offensive sport ever, he hit a house run on Could twenty fourth, and hit two extra on this Could twenty fifth sport. Inexperienced's 9 house runs are essentially the most ever in a five-game stretch, throughout which he raised his season OPS from .685 to .930.
September 21, 2002: Dodgers at Padres
1st inning, 0 outs
off RHP Jake Peavy
Going through San Diego rookie Peavy, a future teammate of Roberts who would win a Cy Younger 5 years later, Roberts hit the primary house run of his profession. Nevertheless it was an costly shot.
Roberts strained a muscle in his proper ribcage within the house swing, and left the sport and missed the final seven video games of the season.
April 1, 2003: Dodgers at D-backs
eighth inning, 1 out, 2 on
off RHP Curt Schilling
Schilling by no means gained a Cy Younger Award, however he completed second within the two seasons earlier than that, and he completed second once more the 12 months after that. Arizona led this second sport of the season 4-0 till the Dodgers rallied for 4 runs within the eighth, the primary three approaching a three-run shot by Roberts. The Dodgers ultimately misplaced in 10 innings.
“You may have 4 in opposition to Curt Schilling, you assume you’ve got a very good probability to win,” Roberts advised Brian Dohn of the Los Angeles Every day Information.
August 9, 2003: Dodgers vs. Cubs
1st inning, 0 outs
off RHP Matt Clement
One other walk-off house run for Roberts, and this was the one inside-the-park house run of his profession. He caught a ball handed to Aramis Ramirez down the third bottom line, and it bounded into the left subject nook, the place it bounced off the wall previous a stumbling Moises Alou, permitting Roberts to attain on his ft.
The priority for Roberts have been two earlier stints on the injured listing that season with hamstring strains, lacking 13 video games in Could and 21 extra in July. This house run was about two weeks after getting back from that second harm.
“In Atlanta [six days before], I legged out a triple and I felt slightly fatigue in my leg, however tonight there was nobody. I might hold operating, and that was a very good feeling for me,” Roberts advised The Related Press. “After I hit him, I used to be considering two. I used to be proper subsequent to the second and I noticed him go by, however I didn't know the way lengthy. And on that rubber observe, he saved going slightly additional. So I didn't decelerate.”
April 28, 2004: Dodgers vs. Mets
third inning, 1 out
off RHP Steve Trachsel
Of Roberts' 23 profession house runs, this was the longest at bat, hanging out 5 pitches and operating the complete rely in opposition to Trachsel earlier than hitting the eleventh pitch of the at-bat over the outfield wall of proper middle at Dodger Stadium.
Roberts had a scorching begin in 2004, hitting .281/.415/.375 by this sport, and even within the fifth inning he stole his 14th base within the Dodgers' twentieth of the season.
“I simply wished to have a very good at-bat and hit the ball laborious someplace,” Roberts advised Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Occasions. “A house run was the very last thing on my thoughts.”
June 5, 2004: Dodgers at D-backs
4 innings, 2 outs, 2 ons
off RHP Édgar González
This was a part of a three-hit night time for Roberts, whose three-run shot was the spotlight of a six-run fourth inning in a 10-3 rout of Phoenix.
Roberts additionally stole a base on this sport, which was becoming contemplating pace and baserunning was such an enormous a part of his sport. He stole 118 bases, at an 82.5 p.c clip, in 302 video games with the Dodgers over three seasons. That included stealing a base in 5 of the seven video games with the Dodgers wherein he homered.
