Ohtani reaches 1,000 hits in MLB

(AFP) Japan's Shohei Ohtani, the current global icon of baseball, connected hit no. 1.000 of his career on Wednesday with a spectacular home run in the Los Angeles Dodgers 5x3 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.

The 31-year-old Dodgers star is the third Japanese-born player to reach 1,000 career major league hits, after Ichiro Suzuki (3,089) and Hideki Matsui (1,253).

Ohtani, who played six seasons with the Angelinos (2018-2023) and is serving his second with the Dodgers, reached the mark on a hot California afternoon in which he again displayed his unique talent.

The Japanese native began his performance at Dodger Stadium in a pitching role, his eighth start of the campaign for the reigning World Series champions.

For the first time he stayed four complete innings on the mound, in which he struck out eight opponents.

Ohtani retired from the mound after allowing two hits and a run by Jordan Walker, with which the visitors opened the scoreboard in the top of the third inning.

With this solid performance, he dispelled the doubts generated in his previous start, which ended early due to hip discomfort.

On the offensive side, Ohtani neutralized the lead by hitting a two-run homer in the bottom of the third inning.

With this 134-meter missile, he reached the 1,000-hit mark and also ended a streak of nine straight games without homers. All in all, the Japanese remains in third place among the competition's top bombers with 39 home runs.

After Dodgers fans gave their idol a standing ovation, Cuban Andy Pages extended the home team's lead by scoring on a throwing error by Venezuelan catcher Pedro Pagés.

St. Louis spoiled the Angels' party with a homer by Panamanian Iván Herrera in the sixth inning, after a bunt by Lars Nootbaar, and culminated the comeback with a run by Brendan Donovan in the last inning.

Yankees rear their heads

In other scenarios, the New York Yankees snapped a five-game losing streak by beating the Texas Rangers 3x2 thanks to a providential home run by Paul Goldschmidt in the seventh inning.

The other New York team, the Mets, were not as fortunate and extended their slump with their eighth loss in their last nine games.

The Cleveland Guardians outlasted the Queens ninth 4x1 and completed the sweep in the three-game series.

Dominican Angel Martinez contributed to the win with a two-run homer while his compatriot Juan Soto, star of the Mets, capped the result with another home run in the ninth inning.

Soto's late blast prevented right-hander Gavin Williams from becoming the first Rangers pitcher to post a no-hit, no-run game in the last 44 years.

The thrashing of the day went to the Toronto Blue Jays over the Colorado Rockies 20x1.