Two of baseball’s biggest stars lined up against each other on Friday and produced a blockbuster, historic game.
First Aaron Judge and then Shohei Ohtani homered at their respective first at bats of the game, making history as the first reigning MVPs to hit a home run in the opening inning of the same game.
That opening salvo promised a thrilling game, one worthy of its billing as a rematch of last season’s World Series. And like in the Fall Classic, the Los Angeles Dodgers came back to defeat the New York Yankees, overturning a three-run deficit at the bottom of the sixth to take an 8-5 win at Dodger Stadium.
“It was a really good start to the game, it was a back and forth between two really good teams and I’m glad we came out at the top,” Ohtani said afterward through interpreter Will Ireton.
The Japanese superstar has already scored 60 runs this season, reaching that milestone faster than any other MLB player in the modern era, according to OptaSTATS.
“I feel like he was copying me,” Judge joked afterward, telling reporters about Ohtani’s home run just after his own. “He’s impressive. He’s one of the best players in the game for a reason; what he can do in the box, on the basepaths, once he gets back on the mound, it’s special.”
Though Ohtani’s homer tied the game, the Yankees displayed their impressively deep offensive line-up with Austin Wells, Trent Grisham, and Paul Goldschmidt all contributing home runs of their own to make it 5-2 after the fifth inning.
There was still time for Ohtani to add a second homer to his tally, and he smashed one out to right center field at the bottom of the sixth, sparking a four-run inning that changed the complexion of the game.
That homer, Ohtani’s league-leading 22nd of the season, marked the first of five consecutive Dodgers hits, loading the bases and making it a high scoring inning.
“With Shohei, he would probably say it’s just like any other game,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters afterward.
“But I do think that when you see the reigning MVP on the other side, and going out there and performing, that brings out even more of a competitor in Shohei. And obviously, it brought up a lot of excitement from the fans.”
A two-run single from outfielder Andy Pages in seventh inning gave the Dodgers a 8-5 lead, a margin they never relinquished.
The two teams next face each other on Saturday.
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