LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani etched his name deeper into baseball lore Friday night, delivering a two-way performance that propelled the Los Angeles Dodgers to the World Series and left fans and analysts calling it the greatest game ever played.
In Game 4 of the National League Championship Series, Ohtani pitched six shutout innings, allowing just two hits and striking out 10 batters. At the plate, he went 3-for-3 with three home runs, three RBIs, and a walk, accounting for the bulk of the Dodgers’ offense in their 5-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.
Ohtani began the night by striking out the side in the top of the first inning, including Brewers stars Jackson Chourio and Christian Yelich. He then led off the bottom half with a solo home run, becoming the first pitcher in MLB history to hit a leadoff homer in a postseason game.
His second home run came in the third inning, a towering 469-foot blast to right-center field. He capped his night with a third homer in the fifth, further cementing his status as the most dominant two-way player in modern baseball.
The Dodgers’ victory clinched the National League pennant and marked their return to the World Series for the second straight year. Ohtani’s performance was pivotal, overshadowing the Brewers’ lone run and sending Chavez Ravine into a frenzy.
“This is the kind of game you dream about,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Shohei didn’t just rise to the occasion — he redefined it.”
Ohtani’s outing drew comparisons to legends like Babe Ruth and Bob Gibson, but his simultaneous excellence on the mound and at the plate set him apart. Analysts noted that no player in MLB history had ever combined such pitching and hitting feats in a single playoff game.
The 30-year-old Japanese superstar has long been hailed as the most talented player in the sport, but Friday’s performance may have elevated him to the greatest of all time. His ability to dominate in both roles continues to challenge the boundaries of what’s considered possible in baseball.
Ohtani’s heroics came after a brief slump earlier in the series, making his breakout all the more dramatic. With the World Series ahead, the Dodgers will look to their two-way phenom to continue rewriting history.
As fans filed out of Dodger Stadium, chants of “MVP” echoed through the night, a fitting tribute to a player whose brilliance may never be replicated.
