The Athletics’ backup catcher faced Ohtani in the eighth inning Thursday night.
Pereda gave up three straight hits against the bottom of the Dodgers’ order. With Los Angeles leading 17-2, Ohtani came up with a chance to pile on.
Pereda’s first four pitches to the Japanese superstar were between 62 and 68 mph. Ohtani took a called first strike and later fouled off another pitch.
Then Perada threw an 89-mph fastball.
Ohtani’s foul tip was caught and one of the major leagues’ homer leaders went down swinging.
“He struck out against a position player, how about that?” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
Perada kept the ball as a souvenir.
Miguel Rojas came up next and used Ohtani's bat to get a RBI single.
“It's kind of like, `Hey, I'll show you how it's done,'" Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy said, smiling.
The Dodgers beat the A's 19-2.
Ohtani has homered on three of his four bobblehead nights as a Dodger. He hit a walk-off homer on his previous bobblehead night April 2.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP