Roki Sasaki’s 10 strikeouts, a harder splitter and a long-awaited breakthrough for the Dodgers

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Roki Sasaki is finally becoming the pitcher in real life that the Los Angeles Dodgers first saw on video in Japan.

The 24-year-old right-hander didn't allow a hit through 4 1/3 innings and had a career-high 10 strikeouts over six innings in a 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night.

Sasaki notched his first career scoreless start after 18 previous starts. He threw 98 pitches, 72 for strikes, generating his second-best strike percentage of 73.5% in a start. He reached 100.4 mph.

“He went through some tough times and some doubts,” manager Dave Roberts said, “but he’s gotten to the other side.”

Roberts sent Sasaki back out for the seventh inning to see how the youngster would respond in a scoreless game. Sasaki retired the side, striking out two.

“He was on the attack, he didn't run,” Roberts said. “That shows a lot of growth.”

Sasaki was expected to be the next big thing coming out of Nippon Professional Baseball. But he failed to crack the Dodgers' starting rotation as a rookie. His sad face and teary eyes in his U.S. debut was shown on Japanese television, triggering some unflattering reaction on social media and around baseball.

Sasaki's poor body language on the mound tipped opposing hitters to a lack of confidence, too.