Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani acknowledges the crowd as he receives a standing ovation before his at-bat during the first inning of their game against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. It was Ohtani’s first home game since becoming the first MLB player to have at least 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in the same season, a milestone he reached on Thursday in Miami. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts makes a catch at the wall on a ball hit by the Colorado Rockies’ Ryan McMahon during the first inning on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts falls to the turf after making a catch against the wall on a ball hit by the Colorado Rockies’ Ryan McMahon during the first inning on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts sits on the turf after making a catch against the wall on a ball hit by the Colorado Rockies’ Ryan McMahon during the first inning on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers opening pitcher Ryan Braiser throws to the plate during the first inning of their game against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani tips his helmet toward the Colorado Rockies’ dugout before his first at-bat during the first inning on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani acknowledges the crowd as he receives a standing ovation before his at-bat during the first inning of their game against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. It was Ohtani’s first home game since becoming the first MLB player to have at least 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in the same season, a milestone he reached on Thursday in Miami. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani acknowledges the crowd as he receives a standing ovation before his at-bat during the first inning of their game against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. It was Ohtani’s first home game since becoming the first MLB player to have at least 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in the same season, a milestone he reached on Thursday in Miami. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani acknowledges the crowd as he receives a standing ovation before his at-bat during the first inning of their game against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. It was Ohtani’s first home game since becoming the first MLB player to have at least 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in the same season, a milestone he reached on Thursday in Miami. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani acknowledges the crowd as he receives a standing ovation before his at-bat during the first inning of their game against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. It was Ohtani’s first home game since becoming the first MLB player to have at least 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in the same season, a milestone he reached on Thursday in Miami. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Relief pitcher Joe Kelly #99 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws to the plate against the Colorado Rockies in the second inning of a baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County register/ SCNG)
Dodgers relief pitcher Joe Kelly throws to the plate during the second inning of their game against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani watches the flight of his two-run home run during the fifth inning of their game against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani begins to run the bases as he watches the flight of his two-run home run during the fifth inning of their game against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani gestures as he runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the fifth inning of their game against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani gestures next to third base coach Dino Ebel as he runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the fifth inning of their game against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani gestures as he runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the fifth inning of their game against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the fifth inning of their game against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the fifth inning of their game against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani celebrates with teammate Max Muncy after hitting a two-run home run during the fifth inning of their game against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani celebrates with Manager Dave Roberts as he returns to the dugout after hitting a two-run home run during the fifth inning of their game against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Dodgers’ Teoscar Hernandez begins to run the bases as he watches the flight of his solo home run during the sixth inning of their game against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Dodgers’ Teoscar Hernandez celebrates as he runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the sixth inning of their game against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Dodgers’ Teoscar Hernandez celebrates as he runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the sixth inning of their game against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Dodgers’ Teoscar Hernandez, left, receives a sunflower seed shower from teammate Shohei Ohtani, right, as he returns to the dugout after hitting a solo home run during the sixth inning of their game against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Dodgers’ Teoscar Hernandez, left, receives a sunflower seed shower from teammate Shohei Ohtani, right, as he returns to the dugout after hitting a solo home run during the sixth inning of their game against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani runs to first after hitting a single during the seventh inning of their game against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani runs to first after hitting a single during the seventh inning of their game against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani beats out an infield single during the seventh inning of their game against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani steals second base – his 52nd stolen base of the season – during the seventh inning of their game against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Dodgers’ Tommy Edman scores past Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman during the seventh inning on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Dodgers’ Tommy Edman scores past Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman during the seventh inning on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani acknowledges the crowd as he receives a standing ovation before his at-bat during the first inning of their game against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. It was Ohtani’s first home game since becoming the first MLB player to have at least 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in the same season, a milestone he reached on Thursday in Miami. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)
LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani took a bow on Friday in the only way he knows how.
With debates still raging on whether or not he just played the greatest single game in MLB history on Thursday, Ohtani flew across country, got to bed in the early-morning hours then showed Friday night that there is plenty more left in the tank.
Ohtani’s two-run home run in the fifth inning rallied the Dodgers to a 6-4 victory over the Colorado Rockies, one day after the team clinched a playoff spot for the 12th consecutive season.
On a pitch at or slightly above the upper part of the strike zone from the Rockies’ Kyle Freeland, Ohtani was still able to hack the 92-mph fastball 110 mph off the bat and 423 feet over the center field wall.
“I think he’s lights out, clearly,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I think he’s ramped up his focus, I really do. Not to say that anyone is ever trying to make outs, but I think these last couple games, he’s locked in.
“To be able to cover that ball at the top of the zone, above the zone, go to the big part of the field, it’s pretty spectacular. And you look at the last week of homers, they’ve been balls down, so to be able to cover that, it’s just pretty remarkable.”
The Dodgers (92-62) remain four games ahead of the second-place San Diego Padres (88-66) in the NL West and four games ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers (also 88-66) in the race to secure a top-two seed and a first-round bye in the NL playoffs. The Dodgers’ magic number to clinch the division is four.
Ohtani made Thursday’s clinching party possible with a six-hit performance on the road against the Miami Marlins on Thursday that included three home runs, two doubles, 10 RBIs and two stolen bases.
He redefined Sept. 19 on his own personal timeline from the day he had elbow surgery in 2023 to the day he basically clinched the National League MVP in 2024. Yet instead of basking in the glow one day later, he added another home run and stolen base to the pile, his 52nd of the season in both categories.
It was the MLB record 14th time this season that Ohtani homered and stole a base in the same game, passing the old mark of 13 games set by Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson in 1986 with the New York Yankees.
Asked if a 60-60 season was possible with the season near an end, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said no, hedged his bet, said again that it wouldn’t happen then seemed to be noncommittal again.
“I would say it’s unrealistic. Very unrealistic,” Roberts said. “With him, anything’s possible, but it’s certainly very unrealistic. And it’s just, man, what a tremendous season.”
The highlights of Ohtani’s season played nearly nonstop before the game. He received a standing ovation as he approached the plate to lead off the bottom of the first inning and then earned another ovation after a tribute video that prompted him to tip his helmet.
“It was amazing and I’m just very grateful and thankful that this being my first season with the Dodgers, that I was able to experience this,” Ohtani said on the SportsNet LA broadcast when asked about the pregame reception he received from Dodgers fans.
Dodgers players applauded Ohtani from in front of the dugout railing before his first at-bat.
“That was impromptu,” Roberts said. “(Pitcher) Clayton (Kershaw) brought it up and we wanted to acknowledge him.”
But the Dodgers’ offense looked out of sorts less than 24 hours after their long travel commitment and went into the bottom of the fifth trailing 2-0. That’s when Andy Pages led off with a home run off Kyle Freeland, Max Muncy doubled with one out and Ohtani crushed a two-out blast 423 feet to center field for a 3-2 lead.
The Rockies tied it on a home run from Sam Hilliard in the fifth inning off left-hander Alex Vesia. Teoscar Hernandez got the run back with his own home run in the sixth, his 30th of the season. He reached 30 home runs for the second time in his career and is two off his career best – set in 2021 with the Toronto Blue Jays.
“It’s the best thing, especially because we’re fighting,” Hernandez said when asked about hitting his 19th home run at home, in front of Dodgers fans. “We got into the playoffs, but we’re trying to get the division, and doing the job that we were doing so far. And lately in the season, it’s been great, especially because we’re doing it here at home.”
Vesia (4-4) still earned the win in a bullpen game when only Brusdar Graterol pitched more than one inning. Graterol struck out three in his two innings of work.
“That was great, we needed it,” Roberts said about Graterol. “For him to give us two innings tonight, given where we’re at … if he doesn’t, I don’t know how we’re going to cover that game.”
Of the eight Dodgers pitchers who took the mound, four gave up a single run: Joe Kelly, Daniel Hudson, Vesia and Michael Kopech.
Right-hander Ryan Brasier led off the pitching train with a scoreless first inning that was aided by a catch against the right field wall by Mookie Betts on a drive from Charlie Blackmon to lead off the game. Blackmon later hit a home run in the fifth inning.
“Oh, man, that was great, just to start the game off (and) throw up a zero,” Roberts said. “… To kind of minimize damage or not allow a run in that inning, it was a big play by a Gold Glover.”
Kopech gave up a home run to UCLA alum Michael Toglia in the ninth inning before finishing off his 14th save.
Shohei Ohtani gets a standing ovation as he returns home after his historic 50/50 accomplishment pic.twitter.com/uvGlKrve0G
Shohei Ohtani on the standing ovation he received today: "It was amazing, and I’m just very grateful and thankful that this being my first season with the Dodgers, I was able to experience this."
Teoscar spoke postgame about playing in front of the home fans, his consistency heading into the final stretch of the regular season, and hitting his 30th home run. pic.twitter.com/YzCxVTgVbR