Ohtani's leadoff blast sets tone as Dodgers hold off, sweep Rockies

LOS ANGELES -- Every now and then, Shohei Ohtani does something that makes Dodger Stadium look small.

This time, it was a booming blast off Ohtani's bat on Wednesday night that landed up high in the Right Field Pavilion seats, a projected 448 feet away from home plate. It was his 12th homer as a Dodger that traveled at least 445 feet, two more than any other Dodgers player under Statcast (2015).

Ohtani has accomplished this as of the first month of his second season as a Dodger.

The tape-measure shot from Ohtani led off the Dodgers' seven-run first inning in a narrow 8-7 victory over the Rockies, finishing off a three-game sweep and a 4-2 homestand.

The star slugger has hit some monster homers at Dodger Stadium, but he hasn't left the yard entirely -- yet.

"If it was a day game, or as we get into the summer, that ball’s out of the stadium," manager Dave Roberts said. "It’s going to happen at some point.”

One batter after Ohtani's leadoff blast, Freddie Freeman followed suit with a solo shot of his own. From there, the rest of the Dodgers' run production in the first came with two outs: Andy Pages drove in three while Austin Barnes collected two RBIs from the bottom two spots in the order, and Ohtani capped the big inning with an RBI single.

Ohtani's second hit of the inning was the nail in the coffin for Rockies starter Germán Márquez, who had entered the day with an impressive track record at Dodger Stadium. His .184 opponents' average was tied for fifth best among pitchers with at least nine career starts at the Dodgers' home park.

Needless to say, ballpark factors only matter so much. Márquez retired only two of the 10 Dodgers he faced on Wednesday night, giving up six hits and a walk and hitting a batter.

With the Dodgers breaking out of some recent scuffles as an offense, setting the tone early has been key.

"It was a superb first inning overall as a team," Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton. "It's really a testament for how focused we are from the get-go."

But Dodgers starter Bobby Miller didn't fare much better than his counterpart. He rang up the Rockies for seven strikeouts, but was hit hard for six runs across three innings. Five of those runs scored in the third, when Miller loaded the bases and then gave up back-to-back homers.

That turned a lopsided score into a real ballgame in a flash, and the Dodgers ended up needing another timely knock from Pages in the fifth to drive in the run that stood as the game-winner.

"We’ve got a great lineup, top to bottom," Miller said. "They're always going to keep us in games no matter who's on the mound. There's always confidence in that. Especially when you've got a big lead like that, just stay in attack mode."

That starts with Ohtani atop the Dodgers' order, even though he's seen some inconsistency at this early juncture.

Ohtani entered Wednesday hitting .280 with an .899 OPS -- respectable numbers, but a level below the lofty expectations he set coming off a third unanimous MVP season. He and unlikely power hitter Tommy Edman lead the team with six homers, and both are part of an eight-way tie for the National League lead.

Coming off right elbow surgery in September 2023 and left shoulder surgery this past offseason, Ohtani has continued to work his way toward a return to the mound. His progress has been purposefully slow-going during the regular season, a logical development after his ramp-up as a pitcher was paused before the season-opening Tokyo Series.

Ohtani has been throwing full bullpen sessions every Saturday, with "touch-and-feel" sessions mixed in midweek to keep him fresh. He threw on Wednesday, hours before his impressive night at the plate, and has not felt that his work as a pitcher is affecting him much as a hitter.

Last season, Ohtani accomplished some unthinkable feats in his first year with the Dodgers. Once he's back to his full two-way capabilities, he can push the envelope even further.

Even with some early-season inconsistency, Ohtani still finds ways to amaze.

"Overall, in my career, I don't really have a hot start in the beginning of the season," Ohtani said. "I think I'm on par with what I usually do at the plate. My rehab has been going on pretty smoothly, so I think overall, it's been a really good first 20 games."