Connect with us

Sports

Shohei Ohtani's 455-foot home run can't save Dodgers in 10-inning loss to Angels

Published

on

Shohei Ohtani's 455-foot home run can't save Dodgers in 10-inning loss to Angels

Shohei Ohtani was on the losing end of a Freeway Series game for the 11th consecutive time Friday night.

This one just happened to be his first defeat in the rivalry while wearing Dodger blue.

Despite a mammoth two-run home run from Ohtani that opened the scoring in the fifth inning, the Dodgers couldn’t muster anything else in Ohtani’s first regular-season game against his former team, falling to the Angels 3-2 in 10 innings.

“This is certainly the hottest I think we’ve seen him,” manager Dave Roberts said of Ohtani, who now has seven home runs and a .400 batting average in his last 11 games. “Tonight we just couldn’t support him.”

The Angels, who made a habit of wasting big games from Ohtani during his six seasons in Anaheim, are eerily familiar with the feeling.

Advertisement

Playing without Mookie Betts (hand fracture) and Will Smith (planned day off) Friday night, the Dodgers’ lineup was entirely Ohtani-reliant.

He reached base in all four trips to plate, with two hits, two walks and two RBIs on his fifth-inning blast. The rest of the lineup, however, managed only three more knocks, including none from fellow stars Freddie Freeman or Teoscar Hernández.

Even after a third-inning forearm injury to Patrick Sandoval forced the Angels to dip into their bullpen early, the Dodgers (47-31) barely threatened in the latter half of the game, failing to even put a runner in scoring position until an automatic runner took second in the 10th.

Advertisement

By then, the Angels (30-45) had erased the two-run deficit, scoring twice off reliever Ryan Yarbrough in the sixth after the left-hander hit three batters in the inning, including one with the bases loaded.

“I think this year, in particular, his surface is good as far as ERA,” Roberts said of Yarbrough, who has a 3.28 ERA in his long relief role. “But the walks are certainly up there, the hit batsmen are up there. I don’t know if it’s a mechanical thing, but it’s very uncharacteristic.”

That inning denied rookie right-hander Landon Knack, recalled earlier in the day for a spot start, a potential win in his fifth start of the year. Knack spun five scoreless innings to lower his ERA to 2.10. But whether he remains in a short-handed Dodgers rotation moving forward is unclear.

Dodgers pitcher Landon Knack delivers in the first inning against the Angels on Friday.

Dodgers pitcher Landon Knack delivers in the first inning against the Angels on Friday.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Advertisement

With three off days on the horizon in the next two weeks, the Dodgers — who placed Walker Buehler on the injured list Wednesday — could try to get by with a four-man rotation for the time being.

“I feel comfortable now, whenever I get to come up and make a start,” Knack said. “Whenever they need me, I always try to be ready. So yeah, definitely feeling comfortable now.”

In the top of the 10th, they finally took the lead on an RBI single from Taylor Ward, who lined a two-out, two-strike slider from Evan Phillips through the left side of the infield.

The Dodgers couldn’t respond in the bottom half of the inning, stranding their automatic runner at third base to snap a 10-game winning streak against the Angels — a Freeway Series record — that dated back to 2021.

In each of those games, Ohtani was on the losing side, providing one of the lone bright spots for an Angels club that never made the postseason during his time with the team.

Advertisement
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, left, greets Angels infielders Michael Stefanic, center, and Mickey Moniak before Friday's game.

Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, left, greets Angels infielders Michael Stefanic, center, and Mickey Moniak before Friday’s game.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

This season, in the first of the 10-year, $700-million contract he signed with the Dodgers last December, Ohtani has been the best player on a contending club that is not only cruising toward October, but is currently holding the best betting odds in all of MLB to win the World Series.

His 455-foot blast Friday was his National League-leading 22nd of the season, and seventh in his last 11 games (three of those have been 450 feet or more). In addition to his two walks and eighth-inning single, it also helped raise his OPS to 1.026, trailing only Aaron Judge for the major league lead.

“My stance is stabilized and I have a good read of the strike zone,” Ohtani said in Japanese of his recent streak at the plate. “I think that leads to me hitting hittable pitches.”

Advertisement

Friday, nonetheless, was a reminder that the Dodgers — just like the Angels for the last half a dozen years — still need more than just Ohtani on any given night.

Whatever personal revenge he exacted in his first meeting with his former team ultimately didn’t matter.

In yet another Freeway Series game, Ohtani was on the losing end again.

Advertisement

Sports

Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo makes NBA history with 83-point game

Published

on

Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo makes NBA history with 83-point game

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo made NBA history on Tuesday night.

Adebayo scored 83 points, all while setting league marks for free throws made and attempted in a game for the Miami Heat in a 150-129 win over the Washington Wizards. It is the second-highest scoring game for a player ever, only to Wilt Chamberlain’s famed 100-point game.

“An absolutely surreal night,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters after the game.

Advertisement

Adebayo started with a 31-point first quarter. He was up to 43 at halftime, 62 by the end of the third quarter. And then came the fourth, when the milestones kept falling despite facing double-, triple- and what once appeared to be a quadruple-team from a Wizards defense that kept sending him to the foul line.

He finished 20 of 43 from the field, 36 of 43 from the foul line, 7 for 22 from 3-point range.

After the game, he was seen in tears while he hugged his mother, Marilyn Blount, before leaving the floor after the game.

“Welp won’t have the highest career high in the house anymore,” Adebayo’s girlfriend, four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson, wrote on social media, “but at least it gives me something to go after.”

MAGIC’S ANTHONY BLACK MAKES INCREDIBLE DUNK OVER FOUR DEFENDERS IN HISTORIC NBA GAME

Advertisement

Bam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat celebrates during the fourth quarter of the game against the Washington Wizards at Kaseya Center on March 10, 2026, in Miami, Florida.  (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

The NBA’s previous best this season was 56, by Nikola Jokic for Denver against Minnesota on Christmas night. The last player to have 62 points through three quarters: one of Adebayo’s basketball heroes, Kobe Bryant, who had exactly that many through three quarters for the Los Angeles Lakers against Dallas on Dec. 20, 2005.

He wound up passing Bryant for single-game scoring as well. Bryant’s career-best was 81 — a game that was the second-best on the NBA scoring list for two decades.

Adebayo scored 31 points in the opening quarter against the Wizards, breaking the Heat record for points in any quarter — and tying the team record for points in a first half before the second quarter even started.

He finished the first half with 43 points, a team record for any half and two points better than his previous career high — for a full game, that is — of 41, set Jan. 23, 2021, against Brooklyn.

Advertisement

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Adebayo’s season high entering Tuesday was 32. He matched that with a free throw with 5:53 left in the second quarter, breaking the Heat first-half scoring record.

Adebayo’s 43-point first half was the NBA’s second-best in at least the last 30 seasons — going back to the start of the digital play-by-play era that began in the 1996-97 season.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Advertisement

Continue Reading

Sports

Kings lose in overtime to the Boston Bruins

Published

on

Kings lose in overtime to the Boston Bruins

Charlie McAvoy scored 39 seconds into overtime and Jeremy Swayman stopped 14 shots on Tuesday night to earn the Boston Bruins their 13th straight victory at home, 2-1 over the Kings.

Mason Lohrei scored midway through the third period to break a scoreless tie. But the Kings tied it five minutes later when Drew Doughty’s shot from the blue line deflected off the heel of Bruins forward Elias Lindholm and into the net.

It was the seventh straight time the teams had gone to overtime in Boston.

In the overtime, Mark Kastelic blocked a shot in the defensive zone and made a long pass to David Pastrnak, who waited for McAvoy to come into the zone. The Bruins’ defenseman and U.S. Olympian, who went to the locker room at the end of the second period after taking a puck off his mouth, skated in on Darcy Kuemper and went to his backhand for the winner.

Kuemper stopped 21 shots for the Kings, who entered the night one point out of the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. The victory kept Boston in possession of the East’s second wild-card spot.

Advertisement

Swayman tied his career high with his 25th win of the season. The Bruins haven’t lost at the TD Garden since before Christmas.

After the game, Kings forward and future Hall of Famer Anze Kopitar stayed on the ice to shake hands with the Bruins after what is expected to be his last game in Boston.

Continue Reading

Sports

Jon Jones requests UFC release after Dana White says legend was ‘never’ considered him for White House card

Published

on

Jon Jones requests UFC release after Dana White says legend was ‘never’ considered him for White House card

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Mixed martial arts legend Jon Jones ended his retirement from UFC simply because he wanted a spot on the “Freedom 250” fight card at the White House in June. 

But, when UFC CEO Dana White announced the card during UFC 326 this past weekend, Jones wasn’t among the fighters. As a result, he has requested a release from his UFC contract. 

White was candid when asked about Jones following the UFC 326 card. 

Advertisement

Jon Jones of the United States of America reacts after his TKO victory against Stipe Miocic of the United States of America in the UFC heavyweight championship fight during the UFC 309 event at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 16, 2024 in New York City.  ((Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images))

“Never, ever, ever, which I told you guys a hundred thousands times, was Jon Jones ever even remotely in my mind to fight at the White House,” White explained, per CBS Sports. “Some guy with Meta Glasses filmed him talking about his hips – that his hips are so bad. And I don’t know if you guys saw that flag football game where he can barely run. Jon Jones retired because of his hips. He’s got arthritis in his hips. Apparently, doctors say he should have a hip replacement.”

White added that “the Jon Jones thing is bulls—,” saying that he texted the fighter’s lawyer saying he would never be on the White House card despite Jones saying he was in negotiations for it. 

UFC ANNOUNCES CARD FOR WHITE HOUSE EVENT

The Meta Glasses incident White is referring to came from a viral video, where Jones, unaware he was being filmed, discussed issues with his hips to a fan. 

Advertisement

On Monday, Jones composed a thorough response to White’s comments about him and the White House Card. He previously posted and deleted social media explanations, but Monday’s appeared to be his final statement on the matter. 

UFC President Dana White speaks after UFC Fight Night at Toyota Center on Feb. 21, 2026.  (Troy Taormina/Imagn Images)

“Yes, I have arthritis in my hip and it’s painful, but that doesn’t mean I can’t fight,” Jones, who retired a heavyweight champion in 2025, said. “So let me get this straight, if I had accepted the lowball offer, suddenly my hip would be fine and I’d be on the White House card? That doesn’t make sense. I even received stem cell treatment last week to get ready for the White House card, and training camp was scheduled to start today. I was preparing to be ready. 

“I understand business deals fall through sometimes, but going out publicly and saying things that aren’t true isn’t right. After everything I’ve given to the UFC, the years, the title defenses, the fights, hearing that I’m ‘done’ is disappointing. Especially when as recently as Friday UFC was calling me trying to get me on that White House card for a much lower number.”

Jones finished his statement by saying he “respectfully” asks to be released from his UFC contract.

Advertisement

Jon Jones enters the ring before facing Stipe Miocic in the UFC heavyweight championship fight during the UFC 309 event at Madison Square Garden on November 16, 2024 in New York City, New York. (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

“No more spins, no more games. Thank you to the real fans who know what’s up,” he wrote. 

The UFC did not immediately respond to a request for comment by Fox News Digital.

Jones is considered one of the best UFC fighters of all time, owning a 28-1-1 record, which includes his last bout with Stipe Miocic, knocking him out to take the heavyweight title belt. He is also a two-time light heavyweight champion. 

Advertisement

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending