Ohtani electrifies Tokyo Dome with -- you guessed it -- a booming homer

TOKYO -- More often than not, Shohei Ohtani finds a way to meet the moment -- so it came as no surprise he gave a packed Tokyo Dome crowd exactly what they came to see on Saturday night.

Ohtani crushed a two-run homer to deep right field in the third inning of the Dodgers' 5-1 win in an exhibition against the Yomiuri Giants. It was the second of three homers the Dodgers hit that inning off Giants ace Shosei Togo. Michael Conforto led off the inning with a solo shot, then Teoscar Hern¨¢ndez launched a two-run blast to cap a five-spot for L.A.

¡°With so many fans in the stands, it really felt like I¡¯ve come back [home] after a long time," Ohtani told Japanese reporters. "I think it was a great at-bat.¡±

Being in Japan for the season-opening Tokyo Series against the Cubs -- which takes place next Tuesday and Wednesday -- has opened the Dodgers' eyes to just how big a deal he is in his native country. There has been widespread excitement to see him represent a Major League team while in his home country.

"We're all waiting in great anticipation," manager Dave Roberts said before the game. "Shohei, to be quite honest, in the last seven years has represented almost singlehandedly the people of Japan. So for him to come back here in person, it's going to be an emotional night for a lot of people, I'm sure."

All eyes have been on Ohtani, along with fellow Japanese stars Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki, since the Dodgers arrived in Tokyo. Notably, Ohtani is just about everywhere you look, appearing in advertisements all across the city.

When Ohtani stepped up to the plate for the first time on Saturday, the crowd watched, enraptured, as he drew a walk. The ovation when he went deep his next time in the batter's box rivaled the reception the beloved Yomiuri Giants received, playing in their own ballpark.

"I'm surprised it took two at-bats, honestly," catcher Will Smith said.

Ohtani had a knack for rising to the occasion in his first season with the Dodgers, authoring several clutch moments in a statement season that netted him his third unanimous MVP Award and his first World Series ring.

That carried over to this spring -- albeit in a much lower-stakes environment -- when he homered in his first Cactus League at-bat.

The stakes were still low on Saturday night, except for the importance of putting on a good show for the home fans who supported him before he was a Major League superstar.

And just as expected, Ohtani delivered.

"In big moments," Conforto said, "he seems to just do what the fans want him to do. ¡­ You just had the feeling that he was going to go out there and do it for the fans tonight, and he did exactly that."