Shohei Ohtani clobbers leadoff home run vs. Rangers

Ohtani faced a two balls and one strike count before sending the baseball 390 feet into left field. He blasted the home run against an 86 miles per hour slider. The rip tied things up at one at Chavez Ravine.

But Ohtani’s leadoff homer swung the momentum over to LA.

Will Smith singled to left field by hitting off a 95 mph sinker. Freddie Freeman moved Smith to second by taking the walk to first. Max Muncy followed by struck out swinging.

Teoscar Hernandez then got Dodger Blue to their feet: Pounding a three-run home run. Hernandez sent the 90 mph changeup toward left center field, traveling 393 feet into the air before scaling the wall to make it 4-1.

The reigning Most Valuable Player Ohtani proved he wasn’t through impacting at the bat. Ohtani reached an infield single after making contact with a 92 mph changeup. But a ground out near first ended the bottom of the second.

Los Angeles pulled off all its runs during the first. LA went scoreless during the second and third inning. Freeman managed to smash a single toward right field that advanced Smith to third during the bottom of the third.

The Dodgers rolled without Tommy Edman for this weekend interleague contest. Manager Dave Roberts revealed end of May as the timeframe when Edman can return from his right ankle ailment.

The back-to-back World Series champs are the only MLB team with 10 victories so far this season.