TORONTO (AP) — Shohei Ohtani followed his two-way show for the ages with a homer in the Dodgers’ World Series opener, but he also grounded out with the bases loaded in Los Angeles’ 11-4 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night.
With LA trailing 11-2 in the seventh inning, Ohtani hit a soaring two-run shot to right field off Braydon Fisher. It was his fourth homer in two games after connecting three times and striking out 10 as a pitcher in a Game 4 win to clinch the Dodgers’ NL Championship Series.
Ohtani’s homer Friday didn’t do much for Los Angeles’ chances after a flop by the Dodgers’ pitchers. Starter Blake Snell was knocked out of the game before getting an out in the sixth inning, and Toronto then pummeled the bullpen during a nine-run sixth highlighted by Addison Barger’s pinch-hit grand slam and Alejandro Kirk’s two-run homer.
Ohtani also missed an earlier chance to impact the game with his two-out, bases-loaded groundout in the second inning. Los Angeles led 1-0 at that point. He finished 1 for 4 with two strikeouts.
Blue Jay fans booed Ohtani loudly during pregame introductions. Before signing a $700 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the two-way star met with Blue Jays officials on Dec. 4, 2023, at the team’s spring training complex in Dunedin, Florida. Toronto manager John Schneider joked Thursday that he wanted Ohtani to return a Blue Jays hat and a jacket for his dog, Decoy, that he took after that meeting.
Fans chanted “We don’t need you!” at Ohtani while he batted in the ninth inning. He walked in that at-bat, then was nearly picked off a moment later by left-hander Eric Lauer with two outs. Ohtani was ruled safe after a video review.
“Don’t poke the bear,” Blue Jays pitcher Chris Bassitt warned about the Ohtani chants.
Toronto third baseman Ernie Clement said it was all in good fun.
“I couldn’t help but laugh,” Clement said. “We have the guys we have, and the guys we have have done a hell of a job. I don’t think we need any more of what we have right now.”
Ohtani helped lead the Dodgers to last year’s title, hitting .310 with 54 homers, 130 RBIs and 59 stolen bases.
Toronto’s George Springer said everybody heard the chant.
“At the end of the day, Shohei Ohtani is an unbelievable baseball player. Any team that he would be on, it would be awesome. But he’s over there and not here,” Springer said. “He’s one the best baseball players ever, and he’s got 15 years to go.”
Back to pitching in a limited role this season as he returned from elbow surgery, he batted .282 with 55 homers, 102 RBIs and 20 steals while going 1-1 with a 2.87 ERA in 14 starts, striking out 62 in 47 innings. He’s expected to start Game 3 or 4 on the mound.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
By ROB GILLIES
Associated Press
