10/15/2026 08:39:00
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10/15 20:38 CDT Shohei Ohtani back in the leadoff spot and crushes a 3-run
homer for the Dodgers in NLCS Game 4
Shohei Ohtani back in the leadoff spot and crushes a 3-run homer for the
Dodgers in NLCS Game 4
By BETH HARRIS
AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) --- Back atop the batting order, Shohei Ohtani responded with
a three-run homer for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Milwaukee Brewers in
Game 4 of the National League Championship Series on Thursday.
With the Dodgers facing elimination, Ohtani's 428-foot drive to right-center
off former teammate Dustin May gave Los Angeles a 4-0 lead in the second
inning. It was the Dodgers' first homer of the series and his first since Aug.
18 at Colorado --- a span of 116 plate appearances.
The typically placid Ohtani reacted in a most un-Ohtani way: raising his arms
and yelling toward the Dodgers' dugout before beginning his trot around the
bases.
Kyle Tucker singled leading off the second to chase Brewers opener Shane
Drohan, and Teoscar Hernndez followed with a single off May that put runners
at the corners. One out later, Tucker scored on Andy Pages' single.
With two outs, Ohtani unleashed the smooth and powerful swing that had mostly
deserted him over the last few months while he dealt with knee and arm issues.
The four-time MVP struck out swinging so hard in the first that his helmet came
off.
Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts restored Ohtani to his familiar leadoff spot
for Game 4. The Dodgers came in trailing the Brewers 3-0 in the best-of-seven
series and needed four straight wins to reach the World Series and keep alive
their bid for a third consecutive championship.
Ohtani batted sixth in a 6-2 loss on Wednesday, the lowest he's hit since
joining the Dodgers ahead of the 2024 season. He was 1 for 2 with a walk and a
hit by pitch to raise his batting average to .182.
"Just seeing the work the last couple days, I like where his head is at,"
Roberts said before the game. "I liked the at-bats yesterday. Obviously we
haven't performed the way that we're capable of, so to kind of shake it up a
little bit, but something that's of somewhat normalcy that our guys are used
to."
Ohtani typically leads off but was dropped lower while struggling with injuries
to his left knee and right biceps over the last few months that have prevented
the two-way star from pitching since early July. Roberts didn't tell Ohtani
about the change before posting the lineup.
Roberts said Ohtani has given him reasons to believe in him, citing better
at-bats lately and the slugger staying at the ballpark until 9 p.m. on
Tuesday's off day to work on his swing.
"Baking all that in, I felt absolutely, put him at the top," Roberts said. "I
feel good about him taking five at-bats and giving us our best chance to win
and produce runs."
Roberts tweaked the entire lineup after Wednesday's loss put the Dodgers on the
brink of elimination. Mookie Betts, who led off in Game 3, was bumped to No. 2,
while Freddie Freeman moved to No. 3.
Will Smith, whose offensive struggles mirrored Ohtani's, moved up to fourth
from seventh. Smith doubled in the sixth inning Wednesday, when the Dodgers
briefly took a 2-1 lead in Game 3.
"I thought Will took very good at-bats, big hit yesterday," Roberts said. "He's
been in big spots."
Kyle Tucker hit fifth, while Hernndez went from third to sixth. Miguel Rojas
was set to hit seventh, but Max Muncy took his turn in the order after
Milwaukee changed pitchers, and Pages dropped to eighth from fifth.
Kik Hernndez, who came off the bench in Game 3, hit ninth.
___
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