In an MLB matchup between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants on May 12 (Japan time), Roki Sasaki made his seventh start of the season. The 24-year-old right-hander pitched 5 1/3 innings, throwing 91 pitches while allowing six hits (including one home run), striking out five, walking two, and giving up three earned runs. Despite escaping a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the third inning by striking out three consecutive batters with three different pitch types, Sasaki was pulled in the sixth after allowing three straight hits that led to two runs, turning a 2-1 lead into a 3-2 deficit.
In his previous start on May 3 against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sasaki pitched six innings, allowing three earned runs to earn his first quality start of the season. After that game, he said, “I focused on making adjustments from the early innings and pitched in a way that can carry me forward.”
In the first inning, Sasaki faced leadoff hitter Jung-hoo Lee, who hit a hard ground ball that was snagged by left fielder Teoscar Hernández with a sliding catch, helping Sasaki settle in. He retired the side on just seven pitches.
The second inning began with a full-count battle against Rafael Devers, who eventually sent a splitter into the right-field seats for a solo home run, giving the Giants a 1-0 lead. Sasaki then allowed another runner but struck out Willy Adames on a sinker, Matt Chapman on a splitter, and Harrison Bader on a slider—all different pitch types—to strand the runner.
In the third inning, Sasaki walked the leadoff batter and then surrendered a single and hit batter to load the bases with one out. Facing Devers again, he got ahead 0-2 with fastballs and then induced a shallow fly ball to right with a splitter. He then got Heliot Ramos to ground out to third, escaping the jam.
After a clean fourth inning, the Dodgers’ offense rallied with three straight hits to load the bases. Max Muncy singled to right to tie the game 1-1, and Andy Pages hit into a double play that brought in the go-ahead run, giving Sasaki the lead.
Pitching with a chance for the win in the fifth, Sasaki retired the side in order using three different pitches: a slider for a groundout, a splitter for another groundout, and a fastball for a flyout.
In the sixth, however, the Giants’ bats came alive. Leadoff hitter Mike Yastrzemski singled, followed by a double from Devers to put runners on second and third with no outs. Ramos then doubled down the third-base line, scoring both runners and giving the Giants a 3-2 lead. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts visited the mound and pulled Sasaki after 5 1/3 innings.
