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The Big Sho: Ohtani hits tying 3-run homer in playoff debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers in NLDS win

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Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani reacts after hitting a three-run home run during the second inning in Game 1 of baseball's NL Division Series against the San Diego Padres, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

LOS ANGELES ā€“ Shohei Ohtani rewrote the record book during his first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Now, he's getting a chance to make more history in his highly anticipated playoff debut.

Ohtani hit a tying, three-run homer with two outs in the second inning to help Los Angeles win its Division Series opener Saturday night. The Dodgers went on to a 7-5 victory over the San Diego Padres, a team they battled down to the wire before earning their 11th NL West title in 12 years.

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ā€œItā€™s been insane how good heā€™s been with runners in scoring position,ā€ Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. ā€œWhen he does get those opportunities you feel like heā€™s going to cash them in.ā€

The Japanese superstar sent a 2-1 pitch from Dylan Cease into right field for a 372-foot shot that had the sellout crowd of 53,028 ā€” including actors Brad Pitt and Rob Lowe ā€” on its feet.

ā€œI could really feel the intensity of the stadium before the game began and I thoroughly enjoyed it,ā€ Ohtani said through an interpreter.

He finished 2 for 5 with three RBIs, two runs scored and two strikeouts as 88-year-old Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax looked on from behind home plate.

ā€œIt was pretty exciting,ā€ Ohtani said.

He flied out to left in his first at-bat.

ā€œThe focus was really on just having my swing, the quality at-bat that I look for despite being in an excited, high-intensity environment,ā€ Ohtani said. ā€œAlthough I was out that at-bat, I felt pretty good and wanted to carry that on throughout the other at-bats.ā€

The Padres had taken a 3-0 lead in the first against Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Ohtani's countryman who is also making his postseason debut in the best-of-five National League Division Series.

Ohtani, who batted .310 during the regular season, drove in Will Smith, who walked, and Gavin Lux, who singled, to make it 3-3.

ā€œIt just got the momentum back for us and just gave us life,ā€ Roberts said. ā€œFrom pitch one, the fans were just engaged, were in it. I just felt that energy. I think Shohei feeds off that.ā€

San Diego went ahead 5-3 before the Dodgers rallied with three runs in the fourth. Ohtani had a broken-bat single and later scored, along with Mookie Betts, on Teoscar HernƔndez's single that gave the Dodgers their first lead, 6-5.

ā€œIt's really difficult for a playoff team to be able to get into and feel comfortable playing in the first game of the postseason, especially with the long layoff, but I think everyone really contributed,ā€ Ohtani said.

Ohtani appeared amped in the dugout before the game. In the batter's box, he seemingly flipped a switch and was laser-focused on the task at hand.

ā€œYou can even see it in his first at-bat, just the discipline in the strike zone, to get back into a count and then to fly out,ā€ Roberts said. ā€œI just really have never seen a guy in the biggest of moments come through as consistently as he has. I wish a lot of other players had that ability. Heā€™s just very unique.ā€

Ohtani is getting his first chance on the October stage after spending the past six years with the Los Angeles Angels, who never had a winning record during his tenure.

He signed a record $700 million, 10-year deal with the Dodgers as a free agent in December. The two-way phenom didnā€™t pitch this season while rehabbing from a second major elbow surgery. That allowed him to focus on his offense, and he became the first major league player with 50 homers and 50 stolen bases in a season.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB


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