Single sensation

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:32 JST, July 20, 2022

The American League’s Shohei Ohtani leads off the MLB All-Star Game with a single to center off National League starter Clayton Kershaw at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Tuesday. Ohtani, of the Los Angeles Angels, was selected in fan voting for the second consecutive year and started as the AL designated hitter. The single off the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Kershaw was his first All-Star hit and made him the first Japanese player to hit safely in the midsummer classic since Ichiro Suzuki in 2009. “I went into the game more relaxed than last year,” said Ohtani, who drew a walk in his second at-bat. “No matter how many times I appear, it’s always fun.”