The headlines from Friday night time’s sport between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays principally examine Shohei Ohtani and his walk-off grand slam as a result of it launched him into baseball historical past.
It was his fortieth residence run of the season and it got here a few innings after he stole his fortieth base of the season turning into the primary Dodgers participant and sixth all-time to affix the 40-40 membership.
Nevertheless, there was one other storyline that developed earlier within the sport as Bobby Miller had his finest begin since his season debut in late March. The precise-hander gave up three runs and 7 hits — two of them residence runs — in six innings, struck out 9, and walked one.
Miller maintained his fastball velocity all through the beginning, landed his curveball for a strike, and generated 18 swinging strikes. He threw 68 of 96 pitches for strikes.
“Simply throwing extra strikes then extra swings and misses will come,” Miller advised Dodgers Nation reporter Doug McKain after the sport. “The earlier begin there wasn’t a number of walks however falling behind 2-0, 3-1 is simply as unhealthy. Getting strike one, 0-1, 0-2 shortly, I did a number of that.”
The beginning on Friday was an enormous enchancment from his final begin on Aug. 15 when gave up eight hits and 4 earned runs whereas solely putting out one.
For Miller, Friday was the very best he has felt in a very long time.
That’s the very best my curveball has felt in a really very long time,” Miller mentioned. “I used to be in a position to rip on the market and throw it as onerous as I may as a substitute of simply guiding that pitch in there. I had full belief in each single one in every of my pitches tonight… You’ve acquired to complete this yr sturdy.”
Miller has felt all the feelings this season. He has been upset principally however Friday introduced a way of hope as he improved to 1-3 via 9 begins. It’s a far cry from final yr’s 11-4 document with a 3.76 earned run common however it’s a step in the appropriate course.
In the long run, Ohtani stole the present however he may not have had that chance if Miller didn’t have such a superb outing.
Photograph Credit score: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports activities
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