BREAKING NEWS: The hometown of the superstar will have to hold off for yet another day as he aims to secure his first World Series championship.
A small group of around 60 fans gathered on Wednesday morning for a watch party at city hall in the superstar’s hometown in northern Japan.
Most were dressed in blue, sporting caps with the interlocking LA, as they celebrated a potential World Series title for the Dodgers and their local hero. However, they left feeling disappointed after the Yankees defeated the Dodgers 11-4.
Despite the loss, the spirit in Oshu City, located about 300 miles (500 kilometers) north of Tokyo, remained upbeat.
“I would have been happy for the Dodgers to win all four games, but I didn’t mind losing one,” said fan Yoshiyuki Kosaka. “The Dodgers still have the advantage, and I want them to win the World Series title tomorrow.”
Fans remain hopeful that their local superstar and the Dodgers—who he played Little League and high school baseball with—will rebound and secure the series in Game 5, as the Dodgers lead 3-1 and are still favored in the best-of-seven matchup.
“The Dodgers were feeling positive yesterday, and I really hoped they could carry that momentum into today’s game,” said fan Yoko Chiba. “But unfortunately, it didn’t end up with the result I was hoping for.”
During the seventh inning, as Ohtani stepped up to bat while the Dodgers were trailing 6-4, the fans made some noise with their thunder sticks for a full minute. The plastic noisemakers even featured an encouraging message on the side: “The Pride of Oshu City.”
Sadly, their cheers did not change the outcome. Ohtani struck out, and the excitement quickly faded, mirroring the mood in the room.
Oshu Mayor Jun Kuranari expressed his continued faith in Ohtani’s abilities. “Along with our community, I’m hopeful that Ohtani, being one of our own, will hit a spectacular home run tomorrow,” he said.
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