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Shohei Ohtani Sets Unfortunate Mark with Poor Performance vs. Reds

The reigning National League MVP struck out four times, but the Dodgers did win 5-4.
Brady Farkas|
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) reacts in the dugout before the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on July 29.
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) reacts in the dugout before the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on July 29. | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

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Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Cincinnati Reds 5-4 on Tuesday night, moving to 63-45 on the season. It was the second consecutive win for Los Angeles in the Queen City, and they lead the National League West.

In a rare development, the Dodgers win was not aided in any way by superstar Shohei Ohtani, who went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts. It's his second 'Golden Sombrero' of the season, and he's the only Dodgers player to register four strikeouts in a single contest.

Despite the difficult game, Ohtani is still putting together a fantastic season, and he may end up winning his second straight National League MVP Award. The 31-year-old is hitting .272 with 38 home runs and 73 RBIs. He's also stolen 13 bases and is carrying a .377 on-base percentage.

Furthermore, he's returned to the mound for the first time since 2023, and he's thrown 12 innings.

With Ohtani neutralized, the Dodgers relied on contributions from Freddie Freeman, who went 3-for-5. Will Smith and Mookie Betts each provided multi-hit games as well, and Tommy Edman hit his 12th home run of the season.

Alexis Diaz earned the win in relief, tossing a scoreless 1.1 innings against his old team.

The two teams will play again on Wednesday night with first pitch coming at 7:05 p.m. ET. Ohtani will take the rubber against veteran right-hander Nick Martinez.

Ohtani is 0-0 with a 1.50 ERA while Martinez is 9-9 with a 4.69. The Reds are 56-52 and in third place in the National League Central.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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