“I think I did really well today.”
Japanese starter Yusei Kikuchi, who holds a spot in the Toronto Blue Jays’ starting rotation, reflected on his 12th start of the season. He didn’t rack up the wins, but he was satisfied and praised his manager.
Kikuchi took the mound against the New York Mets at Citi Field in Flushing, N.Y., on Friday (May 5), allowing two runs on four hits (two home runs) with eight strikeouts and one walk in five innings.
Supported by two-run second innings and two-run third innings, Kikuchi came off the mound with the win, but fell short of the win column as the bullpen allowed the tying run to score 스포츠토토.
“I thought he threw the ball very well overall today,” said manager John Schneider. The changeup was on point,” said manager John Schneider. Kikuchi himself was pleased.
“I think I did really well today,” Kikuchi reflected, pleased with his slider and curveball. He was hit by two home runs on the day and had to put his search for his seventh win of the season on hold, but for the second time in as many games, he held them to two runs in five innings.
Kikuchi got out of the first inning without allowing a run on a swinging strikeout and a grounder to shortstop before giving up a solo home run to Tommy Pham in the third inning to give his team a 4-0 lead. He was hit by a 95.3-mile-per-hour four-seam fastball.
In the fifth inning, he gave up another home run to Pham. Two batters later, he threw a 89.8 mph (145 km/h) slider for a long ball. But Kikuchi stayed on the mound, mixing in a curveball, slider, and a fastball that touched 96.9 mph (156 km/h).
“He induced 19 swings and misses on the day, 11 of them on sliders,” MLB.com reported. His average velocity on the slider was 88.7 mph, which is down from his season average, but the rotation and vertical and horizontal changeup showed an effective version.”
Toronto went on to win the game 6-4. Kikuchi missed out on the win, but Brandon Belt hit a two-run homer in the top of the seventh inning.