1 of 5 | Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting his 300th home run against the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Shohei Ohtani glared at a hanging sink, waved his bat through the zone and pounced like a perturbed python, pelting the offering to center field for the 300th home run of his career in a Los Angeles Dodgers loss to the Colorado Rockies.
The 409-foot solo shot came in the first inning of the 4-3 setback Tuesday in Los Angeles. Ohtani went 1 for 4 with a walk and a strikeout, in addition to his memorable mash.
With the home run, Ohtani became the first Japanese-born player to hit 300 home runs in MLB. He hit 129 blasts over the last three years for the Dodgers. The All-Star hitter/pitcher hit 171 homers through his first six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels.
“It was squared up, got out in a hurry, and 300, he got there pretty quickly for us,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters.
“I just marvel at him every day. So, 300 is a big number.”
Dodgers starter Justin Wrobleski issued a walk in the top of the first, but escaped the inning unscathed. Ohtani settled in against Rockies starter Michael Lorenzen to lead off the bottom of the half inning.
Lorenzen missed the strike zone with his first two pitches of the night. He then left a 93.3-mph sinker over the middle of the plate. Ohtani clobbered the pitch, sending it 112.2 mph over the outfield wall of Dodger Stadium.
Lorenzen walked center fielder Andy Pages with the bases loaded in the fifth to give the Dodgers a 2-0 lead.
Left fielder Jake McCarthy hit an RBI ground out in the top of the sixth for the Rockies’ first run. Second baseman Alex Freeland answered with an RBI single in the bottom of the inning, but the Dodgers didn’t score again.
The Rockies responded with three runs in the eighth. They scored their second run off a fielding error from Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas. McCarthy tied the score with a sacrifice bunt. The Rockies scored the go-ahead run off another Dodgers error during the same sequence.
Rockies relief pitcher Juan Mejia retired the Dodgers in order in the bottom of the eighth. Fellow reliever Jordan Romano allowed a Freeman single and issued a walk to start the bottom of the ninth, but then retired Ohtani, Pages and Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman to secure the victory.
Lorenzen allowed six hits and three runs over six innings, but was not on record for a decision. Wrobleski allowed six hits and one run over seven innings. He also was not on record for a decision. Freeland went 3 for 4 with an RBI and run scored for the Dodgers.
Ohtani hit .294 with 20 home runs and 56 RBIs through his first 84 appearances this season. The four-time MVP hit a home run every 13.5 at-bats through his first nine seasons. He improved that rate to every 12.1 at-bats over the last three seasons with the Dodgers.
If Ohtani continues to homer at the latter clip, he would hit his 400th home run in 2028 and 500th home run in 2030. Ohtani would catch Barry Bond’s all-time homer mark of 762 in 2035 if he maintained his current form.
The Dodgers (60-33) still own MLB’s best record and top the National League West, with a 14-game lead on the second-place Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres, who are both 45-46.
The Dodgers will host the Rockies (38-55), the worst team in the National League, at 10:10 p.m. EDT Wednesday at Dodger Stadium.
