Ohtani homers, pitches five, leads Dodgers to victory
PUBLISHED May 21, 2026, 2:03 AM ET
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San Diego — Shohei Ohtani homered on the first pitch and pitched five innings for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday, returning to two-way duty and helping secure a 4-0 victory over the San Diego Padres at Petco Park in a series-clinching outing. He lowered his season ERA to 0.73 and recorded his eighth home run of the year. Los Angeles' victory solidified a series sweep and maintained momentum for the back-to-back World Series champions; Ohtani said Wednesday through an interpreter he felt uncertain about his mound feel even as results were strong. Team officials plan rotation and lineup evaluations this week, and the Dodgers will travel for upcoming divisional matchups.
By Lauren Mitchell | JQJO News
Timeline of Events
- Mid-May: Ohtani makes a two-way start during a high-attendance series finale at Petco Park.
- Wednesday: Ohtani homers on the first pitch and pitches five innings in the same game.
- Wednesday: Dodgers defeat Padres 4-0, clinching the series.
- Postgame: Ohtani stated via interpreter he felt uncertainty about his mound feel despite good results.
- This week: Dodgers plan rotation and lineup evaluations ahead of upcoming divisional matchups.
News Intelligence
- Ohtani's dual role as a pitcher and hitter is rare, making games exciting for fans. His performance helps the Dodgers maintain momentum, crucial for upcoming divisional matchups. If you're a baseball fan, keep an eye on Ohtani's progress.
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The Los Angeles Dodgers benefited directly from Ohtani’s two-way contributions, which delivered a series-clinching win and strengthened the team’s rotation and lineup options.
The San Diego Padres suffered a 4-0 loss in the series finale, failing to score and leaving key scoring opportunities unconverted against Ohtani.
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Ohtani homers, pitches five, leads Dodgers to victory
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