A stinger next to the Dodgers’ canoe all Sunday brought visitors a sound, including uninterrupted digging and chir at Shohei Ohtani as he played in his missed season against the San Diego Padres.
But when Ohtani beat his 45th homer and output a knockout blow in the ninth inning of the Dodgers’ 8-2 victory, the normal three-time MVP detour detour, back into the hole, slap his hands, and get the last sentence – and with a bust padres fan.
The Dodgers enjoyed the scene, and almost everything else that happened in the final four innings of the victory, winning the NL West game with 31 games left.
“This is Shohei’s character, [but the heckler] “It’s nice to see Shohei launch five high fives on him, so it’s nice. That’s great. That’s fun. It’s nice to see Shohei show his personality.”
Ohtani didn’t speak to reporters after the game, but he didn’t need heckler to tell him that he had two walks 0-10 in the game before his 409-foot home run Yuki Matsui.
His Dodgers had delivered by then, with rookie Dalton Rushing having a three-shot tiebreaker in the seventh inning innings sandwiched in Freddie Freeman’s back-to-back inning.
Freeman smiled and said, “He was just talking to Shohei throughout the game, so I’m glad that Shohei was able to cheer him on something else.”
Freeman and other Dodgers heard a lot of stands in the latest chapter of the weekend, which is currently perhaps the most active competition in the sport. As Los Angeles lost the first two games, the noise increased while managing only five total hits – but the defending World Series champion still managed to smile, even with Padres 74-57.
When asked if competition is the best competition in baseball, the hasty answer: “I think it’s. I think it’s a very safe statement. You see the atmosphere we play here, whether it’s here or in Los Angeles. I think it’s special. There are a lot of it. There are a lot of superstars on the court and it’s fun to play in these games.”
The Dodgers have won 11 of their last 12 NL West titles, and the Padres have not won since 2006. San Diego ended his fourth playoff spot in six seasons, the longest ongoing success in team history.
While competitors won’t meet again in the regular season, both teams admit they will watch each other in the extended situation.
“We’re going to treat the next game, but a lot of games, until the regular season is over, like we’re going to be with them,” Rushing said. “Whether we’re tied in the department or eight games, we’re going to treat it like it, and I think that’s a good thing. You keep the competitive edge over in the regular season and that’s what you’re trying to get into the playoffs.”
Health & Wellness Contributor
A wellness enthusiast and certified nutrition advisor, Meera covers everything from healthy living tips to medical breakthroughs. Her articles aim to inform and inspire readers to live better every day.
