LOS ANGELES — Give one up, hit one out.
Shohei Ohtani was on each side of the lengthy ball within the first inning of Monday evening’s 5-2 win over the Twins, surrendering a leadoff dwelling run to Byron Buxton earlier than crushing a two-run blast a Statcast-projected 441 toes to straightaway heart.
Earlier than then, no pitcher had each given up and hit a homer within the first inning of the identical recreation because the Phillies’ Randy Lerch on Might 17, 1979, in opposition to the Cubs.
The Dodgers hit 4 homers in all — additionally getting two from Will Smith and one from Andy Pages — to notch their first win after the All-Star break, snapping a three-game skid.
Ohtani’s sixth begin on the mound this season received off to an inauspicious begin when he hung a second-pitch sweeper to Buxton, who despatched it crusing into the seats in left-center. It was the primary homer (and first extra-base hit) this season hit off Ohtani, who had not allowed a run in eight innings since his first begin on the mound.
However not like different pitchers, Ohtani can present his personal run assist. After newly minted leadoff hitter Mookie Betts drew a stroll to open the underside of the primary, Ohtani pummeled a changeup from Twins starter David Festa at 113.4 mph off the bat for his thirty fifth homer of the season.
Ohtani has hit 5 profession first-inning homers as a pitcher. No different pitcher in Main League historical past has greater than two.
Whereas the Twins hit the ball arduous throughout Ohtani’s outing — eight of the 11 balls in play off him have been hit 97.5 mph or sooner — the Dodgers’ two-way famous person restricted the injury to Buxton’s leadoff shot. Ohtani threw 46 pitches to finish three innings for the second straight outing, hanging out three and permitting 4 hits and a stroll.
Dustin Might adopted Ohtani and pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings on 100 pitches in his first reduction look since 2020.
