PITTSBURGH -- Shohei Ohtani was mere inches away from a two-run homer in the top of the third inning on Wednesday night at PNC Park. That was until Pirates left fielder Bryan Reynolds had something to say about it.
On the seventh pitch of an at-bat between the left-handed Ohtani and Pittsburgh starter Jared Jones, Ohtani slugged a fastball to the left-field wall. With the ball flying at a Statcast-projected 101.7 mph, Reynolds leaped well above the fence to rob Ohtani of what would have been his 12th home run of the season. The highway robbery along the Allegheny kept the game tied at 0.
Reynolds was greeted with a standing ovation from the crowd on his jog back to the dugout. Ohtani quickly sprinted back to the visitors’ dugout, grabbing his glove and returning to the pitcher’s mound.
In the bottom of the third inning, Ohtani hit Reynolds with a sweeper on the left foot. Revenge? Probably not.