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Ohtani Gets Multiple Hits, But Dodgers Bullpen Struggles Again

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Photo by Joel Muniz on Unsplash

Shohei Ohtani had another strong game at the plate for the Los Angeles Dodgers, getting multiple hits. He said afterward that his batting form is starting to come back.

However, the team's pitching continued to cause problems. Relief pitcher Scott struggled on the mound for a second straight night. The Dodgers' manager expressed frustration, noting that the team scored five runs but still failed to build a big lead.

Late in the game, Ohtani came to bat with a chance to help the Dodgers take the lead. But he hit a ground-out to the shortstop, ending the threat.

Starting pitcher Roki Sasaki also had a difficult outing. He was forced to leave the game early, during the fourth inning, in what was described as an emergency substitution. His early exit put more pressure on the team's bullpen.

The combination of Sasaki's short outing and Scott's repeated struggles has become a growing concern for Dodgers fans, who reacted with disappointment to another game where strong hitting was not matched by solid pitching.

Vocabulary7 words

multiple hits
getting more than one hit in a game
lead
being ahead of the other team in score
ground-out
when a hit ground ball results in the batter being out
emergency substitution
a sudden, unplanned change of player
bullpen
the group of relief pitchers on a team
relief pitcher
a pitcher who replaces the starting pitcher during a game
outing
a pitcher's appearance in a game

Quiz

1. What did Ohtani say about his batting form?
2. Why was the manager unhappy despite scoring five runs?
3. True or False: Sasaki finished the whole game as starting pitcher.

Fill-in-the-blank listening

Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.

Shohei Ohtani had another strong game at the plate for the Los Angeles Dodgers, getting _____ hits.

Relief pitcher Scott struggled on the mound for a second straight _____.

The Dodgers' manager expressed frustration, noting that the team scored five _____ but still failed to build a big lead.

Late in the game, Ohtani hit a _____ to the shortstop, ending the threat.

Starting pitcher Roki Sasaki was forced to leave the game early, during the fourth _____.

His early exit put more pressure on the team's _____.

Dodgers fans reacted with _____ to another game where strong hitting was not matched by solid pitching.

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