Ohtani’s Walk-Off Homer Lifts Dodgers to 8-0 Start

Post by: Pratik Kumar

Photo : AP

Shohei Ohtani showed his magic again, helping the Los Angeles Dodgers stay unbeaten this season. On a night when fans got his bobblehead as a gift, Ohtani hit a big home run in the ninth inning to give the Dodgers a 6-5 win over the Atlanta Braves.

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The game was tied when Ohtani came to bat. He said later, “If I didn’t get a good pitch, I was ready to walk. But I felt we had a real chance to win.” Then, he hit the ball 399 feet into the center field, and the crowd went wild.

With this win, the Dodgers now have an 8-0 record, the best start ever for a team that won the World Series the year before. In six of those games, they were behind at some point, but they still found a way to win. Ohtani has scored in every game so far.

After the game, Ohtani talked about how strong the team felt. “Not just tonight, but in general, there is a really good energy in the team,” he said. “That is helping us come back and win these games.”

His teammate Max Muncy, who hit a two-run double in the eighth inning to tie the game, was not surprised by Ohtani’s heroics. “He keeps getting these big moments, and you expect him to do something amazing. He almost never lets you down,” Muncy said.

Ohtani has done this before. In 2024, his first season with the Dodgers, he hit a grand slam to win a game on his first bobblehead night. Later that year, he hit another walk-off home run on a different giveaway night.

Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell, who started the game but had a tough outing, said everyone on the team had a feeling Ohtani would do something big. “When he was coming up and it’s his bobblehead night—everyone knew. We knew. That’s just what he does,” Snell said.

Excitement for Ohtani was huge even before the game started. Thousands of fans arrived early to get his bobblehead, causing heavy traffic and long lines outside the stadium. Some news helicopters even showed the crowd waiting.

Even though he was the hero, Ohtani gave credit to Muncy. “I’m just happy as a player to have this chance and do well,” Ohtani said. “But really, Max Muncy deserves credit for tying the game.”

Muncy had been trying a new torpedo-shaped bat earlier in the game but switched back to his regular bat in the eighth inning. “The torpedo bat was useful in practice,” he said. “But in the game, I went back to my usual bat, and it worked.”

The game started poorly for the Dodgers. Muncy made two mistakes at third base, which allowed the Braves to score five early runs. Snell, a two-time Cy Young winner, struggled in his second start for the Dodgers.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts admitted he was frustrated early in the game. “I couldn’t believe how we were playing. I didn’t recognize this team in the first few innings,” he said. “We had no right to win that game, but our guys just kept fighting.”

The Dodgers' relief pitchers saved the day, allowing only three hits in the last five innings. Rookie Jack Dreyer pitched two hitless innings and got his first major league win.

Snell said this game showed the strong bond between the players. “We all believe in each other,” he said. “We have each other’s backs, and that is a great feeling.”

Muncy said this team reminds him of last year’s championship-winning squad. “We’ve kept that same fighting spirit this season. It’s really fun to watch,” he said. “No one gives up. No one feels down. Everyone sticks together, and that is a special thing.”

The Dodgers are off to a dream start, and with Ohtani leading the way, fans are already excited about what the rest of the season might bring.

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