LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit a home run as the opening hit in his second bobblehead night at Dodger Stadium, shortly after the Japanese superstar and his dog Decoy took over the ceremonial duties of the first pitch.
Ohtani hit a 1-2 pitch from Baltimore’s Corbin Burnes to right-center field on Wednesday night for his 42nd home run of the season. He went 2 for 4, scored three runs and stole two bases.
“I think I was more nervous than Decoy during the ceremonial pitch,” Ohtani said through an interpreter. “I’m glad everything went well.”
The Second Ohtani The bobble head raffle was just as popular as the first one.
Or: “It’s déjà vu all over again,” as Yogi Berra liked to put it.
Five hours before the team hosted the Orioles on Wednesday night, long lines of cars were lined up on the streets surrounding the stadium.
Some drivers drove on the wrong side of the road to avoid a closed intersection near one of the stadium gates, where no traffic police were posted.
“I’m just glad I made it,” manager Dave Roberts said before the game. “It took me forever to get to Dodger Stadium. I actually gave one of the Dodger workers a lift. She was struggling up the hill, so I picked her up and gave her a little lift.”
Only the first 40,000 fans received the bobblehead, which features a smiling Ohtani with Decoy (in Japanese, it’s called Decopin). Some gold versions were randomly mixed in. The souvenirs were soon listed on eBay, although the prices seemed much lower than his first bobblehead in May.
“Man, there’s a lot of demand for that damn bobblehead,” Roberts said.
Ohtani carried Decoy to the mound to make the ceremonial first pitch. He put the ball on the rubber and took a catching position behind home base. After Ohtani signaled, the Dutch Kooikerhondje – wearing his own uniform – took the ball in his mouth and carried it to Ohtani.
He said it took three weeks to train the dog, who appeared calm in front of the sold-out stadium of 53,290 spectators. They did a dry run in the stadium before the big night.
They gave each other a hand-to-paw high five as the crowd cheered wildly and Ohtani smiled broadly.
“I’m impressed that the dog was already so well trained, but I guess if it’s Shohei’s dog, that shouldn’t be surprising,” Roberts said.
The fans, many of them Japanese, waited patiently under the hot sun in a line that stretched far from the main entrance before it opened.
The first Ohtani bobblehead The May giveaway – featuring him in his batting stance – drew a sellout crowd of 53,527 – the largest in the major leagues this season and the largest at Dodger Stadium since Sept. 20, 2019. The promotion caused traffic congestion for hours before game time.
Ohtani managed a walk, a pop out and a strikeout that night in a 7-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds.
The Dodgers have another Ohtani gift planned to celebrate the two-way superstar’s first season in Los Angeles after six years in Anaheim with the Angels. The September giveaway will be a shirt. In July, the team gave away hats.
Ohtani joined the Dodgers last December and signed a 700 million dollar 10-year contract. Last week he became the fastest player in Major League history – and the sixth fastest ever – with 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in the same season — and he accomplished this feat in the same game.
Now he is aiming for something that has never been achieved before: 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases.
Roberts said he is still surprised by the mania surrounding Ohtani.
“Everyday, he’s a baseball player who just wants to play,” the manager said, “but when you see him make an impact and make something happen like he does and has done, I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s incredible.”
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