Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman made a formidable trio at the top of the lineup for the Los Angeles Dodgers in a recent game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
They started the game with a bang, hitting back-to-back-to-back home runs off Merrill Kelly, the Diamondbacks’ starting pitcher. Ohtani led the charge with his NL-leading 44th homer of the season, followed by Betts and Freeman who also went deep. All three home runs traveled over 400 feet.
Remarkably, this flurry of home runs occurred within the span of just four pitches.
The Dodgers later reported that it was the first time in franchise history that they had opened a game with three consecutive home runs.
This explosive start was just the beginning of a dramatic game between the top two teams in the National League West. After the initial home run barrage, Diamondbacks’ center fielder Corbin Carroll added to the excitement with an inside-the-park home run, narrowly evading the Dodgers’ Kevin Kiermaier.
Although the D-Backs took the lead with three runs in the first inning, the Dodgers quickly responded with a sacrifice fly from Ohtani and an RBI single from Freeman to regain the lead 5-4 in the second inning. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. of the Diamondbacks tied the game with a solo homer in the third inning.
In a back-and-forth battle, the Dodgers ultimately emerged victorious with an 8-6 win, thanks to Tommy Edman’s two-run single in the ninth inning. The win extended the Dodgers’ division lead to six games over both the Diamondbacks and the San Diego Padres.
Ohtani’s home run was particularly noteworthy as he pursues a historic 50-home run, 50-stolen base season. The two-time MVP has been rewriting the record books, surpassing Alex Rodriguez for the most home runs and stolen bases in a single season during this series.
With a month left in the regular season, Ohtani has a chance to solidify his place in baseball history with an unforgettable season.