Dodgers leadoff – Shohei Ohtani launched a 424-foot leadoff home run in the Dodgers’ Wednesday matchup with the Colorado Rockies, helping Los Angeles jump to a 2-0 lead. The blast was the third leadoff homer by a pitcher in MLB history—following two by Ohtani—and came after he
The Dodgers didn’t need long to make a statement. In the bottom of the first inning on Wednesday night against the Colorado Rockies, Shohei Ohtani took the first pitch he saw and sent it 424 feet over the center field fence.
Ohtani’s leadoff homer landed as the Dodgers were already leaning into the series. It was also the third leadoff home run by a pitcher in MLB history. with Ohtani previously adding one last week on May 20 and again in Game 4 of last year’s NLCS. Before Wednesday. though. the question wasn’t whether he would play—it was how he’d hold up after he’d been struck with a pitch during Tuesday’s Dodgers meeting with the Rockies.
Los Angeles didn’t waste the momentum. After Ohtani’s shot, Freddie Freeman followed with a homer of his own, launching a 378-foot drive across left and center field. By the time the first three innings were completed, the Dodgers led 2-0, putting the Rockies on the back foot early.
The matchup also reflects the uneven state of the divisions. Los Angeles entered with the best record in the NL West at 35-20, while Colorado sat at the bottom with a mark of 20-36. The Dodgers, meanwhile, are aiming for their 36th win and a sweep against the Rockies.
The sequence from Wednesday’s opening swings to the scoreboard was straightforward: Ohtani’s long leadoff blast set the tone, Freeman’s follow-up homer extended it, and the two early runs quickly shaped the rest of the first half of the game.
Shohei Ohtani Los Angeles Dodgers Colorado Rockies Freddie Freeman leadoff home run MLB NL West standings