Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani endured a relatively quiet start on MLB Opening Day. But along came the seventh inning, which got renown actor Tom Hanks going crazy.
Facing a full count against Brenan Hanifee of the Detroit Tigers, the left-handed batter swung and blasted the baseball deep over left field. Ohtani took his laps around the base. But the Academy Award winning actor Hanks got seen losing it in excited fashion after the home run.
Ohtani’s homer lifted the Dodgers lead to 5-3. Even Los Angeles legend Magic Johnson (part-owner of the Dodgers) celebrated in excitement. Ohtani emerged as the third Dodger to rip a home run. He joined Tommy Edman (blasted a 401-foot home run toward left center in the first) and Teoscar Hernandez (pounded his HR in the fifth) as the Dodgers’ HR crew.
His Dodgers also started the season with the 5-4 interleague win at their home venue.
Shohei Ohtani final stat line in Dodgers opener
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The $700 million centerpiece didn’t start fast right away at Chavez Ravine.
Ohtani grounded out at his first at-bat. Manager Dave Roberts placed Ohtani at the top of the batting order. The Japanese native earned his first hit off a single toward right in the bottom of the third. He then grounded into a fielder’s choice at second base. But that chip got Andy Pages tagged out at that plate.
Hanifee fired a multiple array of heat at Ohtani in the seventh. He first came after him with a 95-mph sinker, which Ohtani swung and missed. The right-handed pitcher stayed with the sinker on his next two pitches — leading to a ball and foul ball. Hanifee then threw a slider, with the 88-mph toss ending in a ball.
Hanifee ultimately went back to his sinker. But Ohtani sent the ball flying out of the park and firing up the Dodger fans, including Hanks. And the perennial MLB All-Star smacked a 95-mph pitch.
The long ball wasn’t Ohtani’s first homer of the season, though. Ohtani treated his home nation to a HR in the Tokyo Series against the Chicago Cubs.
Ohtani’s blast became the final HR of the evening. And lifted the World Series champs to 3-0 overall.
