In Saturday night's game vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Los Angeles Dodgers did something that has never been accomplished before in the team's 141-year franchise history.
To start the game in the top of the first inning, Shohei Ohtani homered 420 feet to deep center, while the next batter Mookie Betts homered to left center (400 feet), and Freddie Freeman then homered to right center (437 feet).
THE BIG THREE GO BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK! pic.twitter.com/M8RpAB0JoO
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 1, 2024
To point out, this was the first time the first three hitters in a Dodgers lineup went back-to back-to-back in hitting homers to start the game, and it was the fifth time in MLB history that a game began with three consecutive home runs.
That is to say, it almost felt as if the Diamondbacks pitcher Merrill Kelly was pitching batting practice out there.
Nevertheless, after jumping out to a 3-0 lead, Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carrol hit an inside-the-park home run to start the bottom half of the first inning, and three more runs followed, making the score 4-3.
An inside-the-park answerback from Corbin Carroll 🏃♂️ pic.twitter.com/IzcKVG2kfC
— MLB (@MLB) September 1, 2024
In the second inning, Ohtani (sacrifice fly) and Freeman (single) each had an RBI, to give the Dodgers a 5-4 lead.
Fast forward to the bottom of the eighth inning, the score was 6-6, and relief pitcher Ben Casparius made three quick outs in his MLB debut, after being called up by the team's Triple-AAA affiliate just hours before the game.
Retiring the side in his MLB debut. We see you, Ben! pic.twitter.com/Q2GSCppieD
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 1, 2024
In the top of the ninth, Tommy Edman hit a two-RBI single, which ended up being the game-winning hit, as the Dodgers won 8-6.
TOMMY EDMAN WITH THE BIGGEST HIT OF HIS SHORT DODGERS CAREER
— Blake Harris (@BlakeHHarris) September 1, 2024
Shohei Ohtani hits his 44th homer of the year as the @Dodgers win a big NL West matchup. pic.twitter.com/zO7bBsnc1x
— MLB (@MLB) September 1, 2024
In view of the top three hitters in the Dodgers lineup, they may be the best 1-2-3 punch in baseball.
Manager Dave Roberts has elected to use Ohtani as the team's lead-off hitter, and it seemingly has paid off as the 30-year-old Japanese superstar is now on pace to become the first player in MLB history to record 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in one season. As of now, he is batting .293 (.999 OPS) with 44 home runs, 98 RBI's, 107 runs, and 43 stolen bases.
To note, Ohtani is currently under a 10-year/$700 million dollar contract, while his teammates Betts (12-year/$365 million) and Freeman (six-year/$162 million) also take up a big portion of the organization's massive payroll.
Betts, 31, who has only played in 90 games due to injury this season, currently has a .297 batting average (.880 OPS), to go with 14 home runs, 55 RBI's, 61 runs, and 13 stolen bases.
Lastly, Freeman, 34, is batting .286 (.868 OPS), and has 19 home runs, 78 RBI's, and 72 runs.
In view of the standings, the Dodgers currently sit 6.0 games ahead of the Diamondbacks in the NL West division with a 82-54 record, which means the team is now guaranteed to finish with an above .500 record, which will be the first time in Ohtani's seven-year MLB career.
With the Dodgers improving to 81-54 on the season, Shohei Ohtani is now on the winningest club of his MLB career and they still have 27 more games to play. The best record any of Ohtani's Angels teams put up was in 2018 when the Halos went 80-82.
— Doug McKain (@DMAC_LA) August 31, 2024
Related: Shohei Ohtani Hits Walk-Off Grand Slam To Become Fastest Player In MLB History To Join 40/40 Club
