LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit a leadoff homer in the first inning and added a two-run drive in the sixth for the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of their NL Wild Card Series against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.
It was Ohtani’s 13th leadoff homer this year, giving the Dodgers a 1-0 lead as they opened defense of their 2024 World Series championship.
Reds starter Hunter Greene threw one pitch to Ohtani before having trouble with his PitchCom device. Ohtani took practice swings while Greene and catcher Tyler Stephenson sorted things out on the mound.
On Greene’s fourth pitch — a 100 mph fastball — Ohtani launched a 375-foot shot into the right-field pavilion, earning a raucous reaction from the Dodger Stadium crowd.
“Obviously, a great talent,” Greene said Monday when asked about Ohtani, “but I’m also in the big leagues as well.”
Ohtani’s second homer — a 454-foot drive to right-center off reliever Connor Phillips — came with two outs in the sixth, extending the lead to 8-0. The three-time MVP struck out in the second and fourth.
Teoscar Hernández also went deep twice for the Dodgers.
Ohtani hit a career-high 55 homers during the regular season, one more than last year when the two-way superstar from Japan set the previous franchise record and became the first player in major league history with 50 homers and 50 stolen bases.
If the Wild Card Series goes to a deciding third game, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has said Ohtani would “probably” start on the mound Thursday. Ohtani has yet to pitch in the postseason. He didn’t pitch last year in his first season with the Dodgers while recovering from a second elbow surgery.
The Los Angeles Angels never made the playoffs during Ohtani’s six seasons in Anaheim.
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