Ohtani pitches into a fourth inning for the first time this season but leaves with cramps on a hot, humid night, remaining in the game as the DH. The Reds score three times in the eighth inning to break a tie and prevail, 5-2.
It was the cramp heard ’round the world.
Pitching into the fourth inning for the first time since returning from his second Tommy John surgery, Shohei Ohtani came out of the game after throwing six consecutive balls including two wild pitches. His loss of command brought Dodgers manager Dave Roberts out to the mound with a trainer and ended Ohtani’s seventh start after 51 pitches on a hot and humid night at Great American Ball Park.
Breath was held from Cincinnati to Los Angeles to Japan until Ohtani emerged from the dugout the following inning, stepping on deck to continue in the game as the Dodgers’ DH. The preliminary report was Ohtani’s pitching night had ended due to cramps.
Count that as a big win for the Dodgers. It was the only win they got Tuesday night. A pair of near misses in the outfield fueled a three-run eighth inning as the Cincinnati Reds avoided a sweep by beating the Dodgers, 5-2.
