Friday night’s 14-11 victory for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Arizona Diamondbacks was made even more significant by Shohei Ohtani’s reaction to his go-ahead, three-run homer. Known for his humility despite his numerous accomplishments in his eight MLB seasons, Ohtani typically remains composed after big plays. However, when he connected with a low and inside pitch from Ryan Thompson, sending the ball over the right field seats, Ohtani couldn’t contain his excitement, flipping his bat and raising his arms in celebration. His teammate Max Muncy praised Ohtani’s consistent ability to deliver in crucial moments.
Ohtani’s pivotal home run occurred on May 9, 2025, in Phoenix, giving the Dodgers a 14-11 lead. Manager Torey Lovullo admitted fault in the pitch selection, acknowledging that pitching a splitter to Ohtani was not the best decision. As Ohtani circled the bases, he displayed his enthusiasm with clapping and fist pumps, marking a significant moment in a game filled with scoring bursts from both teams.
The game saw the D-Backs initially take a 3-1 lead in the first inning, only for the Dodgers to respond with five runs in the third, going ahead 8-3. Arizona later tied the game at 8-8 and then took an 11-8 lead before the Dodgers mounted a comeback in the ninth inning. Key hits from Andy Pages, Enrique Hernández, and Muncy tied the game at 11-11, setting the stage for Ohtani’s heroics.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts praised Ohtani’s clutch performance, likening him to baseball legend Barry Bonds. Ohtani’s game-winning homer propelled the Dodgers to a 26-13 record, maintaining their lead in the NL West. Meanwhile, the D-Backs fell to 20-19, trailing by six games in the division.
Ohtani’s season stats include 12 home runs, 20 RBIs, and a .304/.408/.655 slash line in 37 games played.
