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Cubs’ Shota Imanaga doesn’t allow a hit in Tokyo start
Shota Imanaga was unhittable in his native Japan on Tuesday.
Shota Imanaga was unhittable in his native Japan on Tuesday.
The Chicago Cubs ace pitched four hitless innings in the first game of the Tokyo Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Imanaga had two strikeouts and four walks on 69 pitches. Ben Brown replaced Imanaga to start the fifth inning with the Cubs leading 1-0.
Brown walked Andy Pages then allowed back-to-back singles to Shohei Ohtani and Tommy Edman as the Dodgers tied the game. Ohtani then scored an unearned run on a wild throw by second baseman Jon Berti from a groundball by Teoscar Hernandez. Hernandez came around to score on a single from Will Smith to extend the lead to 3-1.
Imanaga made the move to MLB last season and was dominant, finishing fourth in National League Rookie of the Year voting and fifth on Cy Young ballots. In 29 starts he had a 15-3 record with a 2.91 ERA and 174 strikeouts.
While he won’t get a decision in the opener, he had a performance to be proud of on his home soil.
