Shohei Ohtani’s first walk-off hit for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday was also his first game-ending hit in the majors in nearly four years.
His still-new teammates and fans who celebrated with him at Chavez Ravine expect to see many more feats from a superstar who is somehow getting even better in Dodger blue.
Ohtani pulled a low fastball to right with two outs in the 10th inning, scoring Jason Heyward and ending the Dodgers’ 3-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
Photo: AFP
Two teammates doused Ohtani with water, while a crowd of 52,656 roared for the latest feat by the US$700 million slugger.
“We always say he’s the best player in the world, and you see it,” Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages said.
The clutch hit off Alexis Diaz capped an extraordinarily eventful week for Ohtani, who is thriving on the field for Los Angeles amid the potential off-field distraction of his former interpreter being charged with bank and tax fraud after allegedly stealing millions from Ohtani to fund his gambling habit.
Photo: Brett Davis-USA TODAY
“I was looking to just put the ball in play, so I’m glad it worked out well,” Ohtani said through an interpreter. “We dropped the first game of the series, so we really wanted to finish strong.”
The two-time unanimous American League Most Valuable Player is off to the best start of his major league career, while backed by the Dodgers’ powerful lineup and pitching staff.
With two hits on Sunday, he is batting .393 this month with six homers and 14 RBIs, while making more hard contact than he ever did in Anaheim and striking out at the lowest rate in his major league career.
“He’s had a lot of big hits for us,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “But the first walk-off, certainly at home, was exciting.”
Ohtani has been in a spotlight almost every day since Los Angeles began its current homestand, and he has handled the pressure splendidly.
The Dodgers handed out their first Ohtani bobblehead doll on Thursday, and the event created hours-long traffic jams outside the stadium — and a bit of pandemonium at the gates when the team began running out of the giveaways an hour before the first pitch.
Ohtani was honored at City Hall on Friday, which was recognized as Shohei Ohtani Day in Los Angeles. He celebrated the honor by hitting a homer in the Dodgers’ victory that night.
Ohtani went 0 for 4 on Saturday, but he had two hits on Sunday for his major league-leading 21st multihit game, capped by that single to win it. Ohtani’s only other walk-off hit in the majors was in September 2020 with the Angels.
“There’s excitement every time he comes up, so it was good for him to send us home happy,” Dodgers starter Landon Knack said.
In Georgia, Yu Darvish dominated a slumping Braves offense and extended his career-high scoreless innings streak to 25, while earning his 200th professional win as the San Diego Padres hammered Atlanta 9-1.
Darvish (4-1) gave up only two hits, struck out nine and walked one on 99 pitches in seven innings, lowering his ERA to 2.08.
“Yu has been elite the last four times out,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said. “He’s been nothing short of magnificent.”
He became the third Japanese-born pitcher to reach 200 career wins between MLB and Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), joining Hiroki Huroda (203) and Hideo Nomo (201). Darvish, who has won his past four starts, has 107 major league victories and 93 in the NPB.
“Those two other pitchers, obviously we know how good they are,” Darvish said through an interpreter. “Just to be a little bit closer to them, I feel honored and it gives me confidence moving forward.”
Elsewhere, the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Seattle Mariners 6-3, the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-2 and the Boston Red Sox pummeled the St Louis Cardinals 11-3.
The Cleveland Guardians topped the Minnesota Twins 5-2, the New York Yankees outplayed the Chicago White Sox 7-2 and the Kansas City Royals took down the Oakland Athletics 8-4.
The New York Mets beat the Miami Marlins 7-3, the Philadelphia Phillies devastated the Washington Nationals 11-5 and the Pittsburgh Pirates edged the Chicago Cubs 3-2.
The Los Angeles Angels defeated the Texas Rangers 4-1, the Houston Astros overpowered the Milwaukee Brewers 9-4, the Arizona Diamondbacks survived the Detroit Tigers 6-4 and the San Francisco Giants squashed the Colorado Rockies 4-1.
Additional reporting by staff writer\
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