Shohei Ohtani Hit First Home Run for Dodgers, Who Beat Giants 5-4 for 3-Game
14:14 JST, April 4, 2024
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit his first home run for the Los Angeles Dodgers, a solo drive in the seventh inning in a 5-4 win over the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night that finished a three-game sweep.
Playing his ninth game for his new team, Ohtani pulled a 93.2 mph sinker from left-hander Taylor Rogers on the upper, outer portion of the strike zone into the right-center field pavilion. The ball left his bat at 105.6 mph and landed 430 feet from the plate, where it was picked up by a fan.
The home run came in the 41st plate appearance for the two-time MVP, who left the Los Angeles Angels after last season as a free agent and agreed to a record $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers.
Ohtani’s home run, the 172nd of his major league career, put the Dodgers ahead 5-3. The two-way star is limited to hitting this year following elbow surgery in September and entered in a 3-for-20 slide. He also singled and scored in the second inning, and he is hitting .270 with four RBIs.
Tyler Glasnow (2-0) retired 15 of his first 18 batters before faltering in the sixth. He gave up three runs and four hits with seven strikeouts and two walks.
Joe Kelly pitched the seventh and Daniel Hudson the eighth before Dinelson Lamet finished the five-hitter by striking out two in a perfect ninth for his first professional save.
Miguel Rojas also homered and drove in two runs for the Dodgers, who won their fourth straight game and improved to 7-2.
Jorge Solerand Patrick Bailey hit a solo home runs for the Giants, who have lost four straight and dropped to 2-5. San Francisco has dropped 14 of its last 19 against the Dodgers.
Kyle Harrison (1-1) gave up four runs, six hits and three walks in five innings.
After Bailey’s home run tied the score in the third, Will Smith hit an RBI double in the bottom half and scored on Teoscar Hernández’s single for a 3-1 lead.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Giants: LHP Blake Snell threw 77 pitches in a simulated game. Snell, who is building his arm strength after signing with the Giants late in spring training, is scheduled to make his first start Monday against Washington.
Dodgers: OF Jason Heyward was placed on the 10-day injured list with lower back tightness, a move retroactive to Saturday.
UP NEXT
Giants: RHP Jordan Hicks (1-0) will start against the Padres and RHO Dylan Cease (0-1) in the Giants’ home opener on Friday.
Dodgers: RHP Bobby Miller (1-0) will start the opener of a three-game series at the Chicago Cubs on Friday.
"Sports" POPULAR ARTICLE
-
Yuma Kagiyama Defends Title at NHK Trophy and Kaori Sakamoto Leads Japanese Sweep in Women’s Event
-
Ex-ace Masahiro Tanaka, Tohoku Rakuten Eagles Part Ways
-
Kotozakura Claims 1st Career Title by Beating Hoshoryu in Kyushu Clash
-
Yomiuri Giants, Hanshin Tigers to Face Shohei Ohtani’s Dodgers; MLB Opener Games Cubs-Dodgers to be held on March 18, 19
-
Ichiro Suzuki and CC Sabathia among 14 newcomers on baseball Hall of Fame ballot. Wagner tops holdovers
JN ACCESS RANKING
- Streaming Services Boost Anime Popularity Overseas; Former ‘Geeky’ Interest More Beloved Among Gen Z than 3 Major U.S. Sports
- Malaysia Growing in Popularity as Destination for Studying Abroad; British-style Education Available at Low Cost
- ‘Women Over 30 Would Have Uteruses Removed’; Remarks of CPJ Leader, Novelist Naoki Hyakuta Get Wide Attention
- APEC Leaders Vow to Maintain Free Trade System
- Ministry Eyes Improving Night-School Japanese Lessons; Aim Is To Help Foreigners Complete Junior High School