Shohei Ohtani’s Game-Changing Performance Sparks Dodgers’ Dramatic Comeback—Can They Keep It Going?

BALTIMORE — Man, after a brutal run of losses that had the Dodgers looking downright shaken, Sunday’s finale was more than just another game — it was a lifeline. Five games deep into a skid that no team loves, especially one with LA’s pedigree, the Dodgers were desperate to flip the script on this East Coast nightmare.

Enter Shohei Ohtani. The guy swung the bat like a man possessed, crushing the second pitch he saw into the stands early on. And just to make sure no one doubted his fire, he backed it up with a second solo blast in the third inning—locking down his 48th homer of the season—and suddenly, the energy in the Dodgers’ dugout soared. That 5-2 scoreline wasn’t just a win; it was a much-needed shot of adrenaline for a team that had seen more than its share of heartbreak recently.

Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts couldn’t hide his relief: “Shohei kicking things off with a homer was huge. You could literally see the shake-off in the dugout.” Less than a day before, it felt like victory was within grasp as starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto flirted with a no-hitter, only for a late Orioles homer to snatch the game away in a 4-3 nail-biter. Three straight losses to Pittsburgh, then two cruel ninth-inning losses… this trip had tested the Dodgers’ mettle.

The normally unflappable Clayton Kershaw, who turned in a solid outing himself with eight strikeouts over nearly six innings, admitted the sting: “Losing this much? Not our usual. It’s tough and definitely deflates the joy of playing the game.” Yet, when Ohtani launched that first pitch bomb, it was like a reset button, and Kershaw felt it too: “Getting on the board right off the bat? That’s a game changer. A quick 1-0 lead was the boost we needed after last night.”

Heading back west, the Dodgers still sit atop the NL West, thanks in no small part to Ohtani’s dynamic day—reaching base five times and walking thrice—alongside Mookie Betts’ power surge and Kershaw’s steady hand, marking his sixth straight win. Roberts beamed: “Shohei and Mookie bringing that kind of energy—it lifts the entire lineup. Even the guys at the bottom did their part. That’s what a team effort looks like.”

After such a grueling trip, this victory was more than just a notch on the scoreboard—it was a balm for a bruised group. “No panic. No slump in spirit,” Roberts said. “Our guys stayed positive, eager to compete and win—that tells you everything about the character in this clubhouse. And when stars like Shohei and Mookie are firing, well, that sure helps.”

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BALTIMORE — Coming off an excruciating defeat that stretched their losing streak to five games, the Los Angeles Dodgers desperately needed a spark in the finale of a horrid East Coast trip.

Shohei Ohtani immediately delivered, sending the second pitch of Sunday’s game against the Orioles into the right-field seats. The Dodgers’ standout leadoff hitter tacked on another solo shot in the third inning for his 48th home run of the season, and that was enough to propel Los Angeles to a much-needed 5-2 victory.

“Obviously, Shohei starting the game off with a homer was huge,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “You could see the life in the dugout.”

Less than 24 hours earlier, Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto came within one out of a no-hitter before Jackson Holliday homered to ignite a four-run ninth inning that resulted in a 4-3 defeat for Los Angeles.

And so, a trip that began with three straight defeats against last-place Pittsburgh had evolved into a five-game skid that included two ninth-inning setbacks.

“We don’t lose a whole lot around here,” said lefty Clayton Kershaw, who struck out eight in 5 2/3 innings. “It’s not something you get used to, but when it does happen, baseball’s not as much fun.”

Boy, did the Dodgers need a win Sunday. And they got it. Ohtani set the tone, right at the outset.

“Anytime you get on the board early, it’s huge,” Kershaw said. “It’s a good reset from last night, too, a quick 1-0 lead for us. That was nice.”

And now the Dodgers head home still in the first place in the NL West. Ohtani played a huge part — he also walked three times — but Mookie Betts went deep and Kershaw did his part by winning his sixth straight decision.

“It was great. Shohei was on base five times and Mookie has really been swinging the bat well,” Roberts said. “Across the board, I liked the energy and I liked the way we played. Even the guys on the bottom (of the lineup) did their job today.”

It had to make the trip back to Los Angeles a lot more tolerable.

“It’s not a surprise how we responded. There was no panic,” Roberts said. “Our guys weren’t downtrodden. We were kind of up, looking forward to playing a game and winning a game. That’s a tell that we have confidence still in the room.”

With a smile, Roberts added, “It speaks to the character, and certainly, when you get Shohei and Mookie doing what they’re doing, that’s helpful, too.”