Shohei Ohtani hits leadoff homer, lowers ERA to 0.73 in another 2-way gem for victorious Dodgers

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Shohei Ohtani returned to his full two-way form for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday, and the results were formidable.

While pitching and hitting in the same game for the first time in four weeks, Ohtani homered on the first pitch of the night and then threw five innings of three-hit ball in Los Angeles' 4-0 victory over the San Diego Padres.

After launching his eighth homer of the season and then lowering his ERA to a minuscule 0.73, Ohtani took satisfaction in doing it all even on a night when he didn't feel sharp on the mound.

But in a series-clinching victory over the rival Padres, Ohtani still did enough in both areas to carry the back-to-back World Series champions yet again.

Ohtani said through his interpreter that he had “a lot of uncertainty coming into this outing, because the feel wasn’t great. And so the results were good, but as you saw, the process wasn’t that great. ... I have a pretty high standard in terms of performance, so it didn’t really match."

Two-way superstardom is a burden unique to Ohtani, and he hasn’t been shouldering it as effortlessly as usual this season. While his pitching numbers are stellar — his ERA is now the lowest in the majors among pitchers with at least 25 innings of work — he fell into a slump at the plate in April and struggled into May, with his power production particularly languishing.

“Like we all know, he wants to win that Cy Young, and he wants to help us win games, and he wants to be a really productive offensive player,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “At this point in time, he’s doing all of the above.”

While Ohtani has snapped out of his slump at the plate with 13 hits over the past seven games, he hadn't produced offensively this season in games in which he was also pitching, so Roberts kept the bat out of his hands in his past three mound starts.

The four-time MVP wasn’t thought to be particularly happy about the decision, and Roberts only had his pitcher back in the lineup at Petco Park because the Dodgers have a day off Thursday.

Ohtani showed his approval of the return by immediately driving Randy Vásquez’s high fastball 398 feet to center field for his eighth homer of the season and his 27th career leadoff homer.

“I think that he’s very mindful of everything that’s said about him, and at times he uses that as motivation to prove people wrong, that he can do something,” Roberts said. “I think that he likes to contribute, and I know that he’s heard about (his struggles) on days that he pitches or days after he pitches. So for him to homer in that first at-bat, I think he was like, `OK, I’ve contributed on the offensive side.' And then he took some good at-bats tonight.”

Ohtani is the only player in major league history to hit a game-opening homer as a pitcher, and he has now done it twice. The first time was in one of the greatest single-game performances in baseball history — his three-homers-and-a-pitching-victory classic in the clinching Game 4 of last fall’s National League Championship Series against Milwaukee.

This time, Ohtani the pitcher gave thanks to Ohtani the hitter for the early lead.

“The goal as a pitcher is not to give up the first run, so I was glad I was able to not do that,” Ohtani said through his interpreter. “I was glad we were able to score first.”

And that was all the run support he needed: Ohtani has allowed just four earned runs in 49 innings this season, holding his opponents scoreless in five of his eight starts.

His pitching performance in San Diego wasn't smooth, but it was effective.

Although he retired the Padres' first nine batters, Ohtani needed 52 pitches to do it, and he eventually made his shortest mound start of the season — the first with fewer than six innings of work — along with just 88 pitches, one more than his season low. Roberts gave him a short leash because Ohtani was also in the lineup.

“It’s just another case in point that it’s good for us to be mindful of the workload and just not take that for granted,” Roberts said. “But again, he’s pretty special.”

Ohtani had to escape jams in his final two innings, but he pulled it off.

After San Diego loaded the bases with one out in the fifth on two singles and a walk, Ohtani got Fernando Tatis Jr. to ground into a double play on his final pitch.

The superstar loved it, visibly roaring while exuding a joy he rarely expresses as a hitter.

“I loved the results, but I had walked the guy before, and that wasn’t quite exactly what I wanted to do there, so just the results were good,” Ohtani said.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani, left, celebrates with teammate Miguel Rojas after the Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 4-0 in a baseball game Wednesday, May 20, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani watches his home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres Wednesday, May 20, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani gestures as he works against a San Diego Padres batter during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 20, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani gestures as he works against a San Diego Padres batter during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 20, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Abby Roque scored twice, Ann-Renée Desbiens made 23 saves and the Montreal Victoire won their first PWHL title, beating the Ottawa Charge 4-0 on Wednesday night in Game 4 of the Walter Cup Finals.

Maggie Flaherty and Lina Ljungblom also scored. Montreal opened the best-of-five series at home with two overtime victories, then fell 2-1 at Ottawa on Monday night. Home teams had won the last five finals games.

"Just so much love for this group,” Roque said. “I mean the things we have battled through these playoffs, it was just out of this world the amount of heart on this team. I love everybody and I couldn’t be prouder.”

The Minnesota Frost won the first two titles in league history, beating Ottawa in four games last year in the championship series. Montreal beat Minnesota in the semifinals this season.

“Congratulations to the Montreal Victoire, the 2026 PWHL Walter Cup champions!” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on social media. “An incredible and historic season — the Cup comes home for the first time.”

Montreal captain Marie-Philip Poulin was honored as the playoff MVP. She tied for the postseason lead with eight points on two goals and six assists.

“After the CWHL closed its doors there were two years where we didn’t really know what was going to happen,” Poulin said. “There was a group of women who came together to put this league together. Three years later it all comes together to win the Walter Cup. It feels good. it feels really good.”

Roque opened the scoring at 3:49 of the second period on a deflection off Ottawa defender Rory Guilday's stick. On a break with Poulin, Roque went deep into the right corner and swept the puck to the middle, where it glanced off Guilday's stick and past goalie Gwyneth Philips.

Roque scored short-handed at 9:58 of the third, cutting across the crease on a break and beating Philips with a backhander.

“I feel like I’ve been waiting for this playoffs for a long time,” Roque said. “I love playoff hockey. I love meaningful hockey when it’s physical and it’s tough and there’s not a lot of room to do much out there. Like, that’s where it’s fun to me.”

Poulin was off for interference when Roque scored. Montreal also killed a penalty in each of the first two periods, while Ottawa was penalty-free.

Flaherty made it 3-0 with 6:06 remaining. She put a shot from the blue line through traffic into the top right corner. Ljungblom capped the scoring off a turnover with 4:16 left.

AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey

Montreal Victoire's Marie-Philip Poulin (29) raises the PWHL Walter Cup after the team's win against the Ottawa Charge, in Ottawa, on Wednesday, May 20, 2026. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP) CORRECTION: name of photographer Justin Tang

Montreal Victoire's Marie-Philip Poulin (29) raises the PWHL Walter Cup after the team's win against the Ottawa Charge, in Ottawa, on Wednesday, May 20, 2026. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Victoire forward Marie-Philip Poulin (29) raises the PWHL Walter Cup after defeating the Ottawa Charge in Ottawa, Wednesday May 20, 2026. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Victoire players celebrate after defeating the Ottawa Charge to win the PWHL Walter Cup final in Ottawa, Wednesday May 20, 2026. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Victoire's Marie-Philip Poulin (left) and goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens celebrate after defeating the Ottawa Charge in game 4 PWHL Walter Cup hockey final in Ottawa, on Wednesday, May 20, 2026. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Victoire players celebrate after defeating the Ottawa Charge to win the PWHL Walter Cup hockey final in Ottawa, Wednesday May 20, 2026. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Victoire players celebrate after defeating the Ottawa Charge to win the PWHL Walter Cup hockey final in Ottawa, Wednesday May 20, 2026. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)

Ottawa Charge's Jocelyne Larocque (3) falls in the crease of Montreal Victoire goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens (35) after chasing the puck during the second period of game 4 PWHL Walter Cup final hockey game in Ottawa, Wednesday, May 20, 2026. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Victoire forward Catherine Dubois (28) shoots on Ottawa Charge goalie Gwyneth Philips (33) during the second period of game 4 PWHL Walter Cup final hockey game in Ottawa, Wednesday, May 20, 2026. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Victoire forward Abby Roque (right) celebrates her goal with forward Marie-Philip Poulin (29) during the second period of game 4 PWHL Walter Cup final hockey game in Ottawa, Wednesday, May 20, 2026. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Victoire forward Abby Roque (11) scores on Ottawa Charge goalie Gwyneth Philips (33) as forward Brianne Jenner (19) defends during the third period of game 4 PWHL Walter Cup final hockey game in Ottawa, Wednesday, May 20, 2026. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Victoire forward Abby Roque (11) celebrates her goal against the Ottawa Charge with teammates during the third period of game 4 PWHL Walter Cup final hockey game in Ottawa, Wednesday, May 20, 2026. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)