Shohei Ohtani delivered another unforgettable moment, helping the Los Angeles Dodgers remain undefeated with a thrilling 6-5 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday. The Japanese superstar smashed a tiebreaking home run in the ninth inning on his bobblehead night, securing the win for the Dodgers.
Ohtani, who was named the National League MVP last year, reflected on his clutch performance: “If I didn’t get a good pitch to hit, I was willing to walk. Coming into the inning, tied in that last at-bat, it just felt like we really had a good shot to win.”
With this victory, the Dodgers improved to 8-0, marking the best start ever for a defending World Series champion. Despite trailing in six of their games, they’ve managed two walk-off wins, and Ohtani has scored in every single game.
“There’s a really good vibe within the team,” Ohtani added. “I just think that’s allowing us to come back in these games to win.”
The crowd of 50,281 erupted as Ohtani’s 399-foot blast cleared center field, and he rounded the bases with his signature confidence.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts praised Ohtani’s ability to deliver in key moments: “You just feel he’s going to do something special.”
This wasn’t the first time Ohtani performed under the spotlight. In 2024, his first season with the Dodgers, he hit a game-ending grand slam on his bobblehead night and added another walk-off homer during another giveaway event.
Teammate Max Muncy, who tied the game in the eighth with a crucial two-run double, highlighted Ohtani’s consistency: “He keeps getting into these situations where you’re expecting the unthinkable out of him, and he rarely disappoints.”
Dodgers starter Blake Snell also acknowledged Ohtani’s clutch nature: “When he was coming up, and it’s his bobblehead night — everyone knew. We knew. It’s just what he does.”
Thousands of fans arrived hours before the game to get their hands on the first of four Ohtani bobbleheads for the season. As expected, heavy traffic and long lines caused delays around the stadium, with helicopters covering the chaos from above.
Ohtani, who went 3-for-5 in the game, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to perform in such a memorable setting: “Just grateful as a player to have an opportunity like this. I think the credit really goes to Max Muncy for pulling through and tying the game.”
Muncy, who had struggled with a new “torpedo bat” earlier in the season, switched back to his regular bat and delivered the game-tying hit: “I do think there was some good to using the torpedo bat, but it seemed to work that last at-bat.”
The Dodgers mounted an incredible comeback after falling behind 5-0 due to two early errors by Muncy, which led to five unearned runs against Snell. Despite the rough start, the bullpen stepped up, allowing just three hits over the final five innings. Rookie reliever Jack Dreyer earned his first major league win with two hitless innings.
Snell reflected on the team’s resilience: “We all believe. We got each other’s backs, and it’s a good feeling to have.”
Muncy compared the current team spirit to last year’s championship run: “It’s been fun to watch. The guys don’t give up. No one’s really been down or out on themselves. Just seeing the guys in the clubhouse come together like that, it’s a pretty cool moment.”