It’s been a long time. Well, it’s been a few months.
In Game 4 of the win-or-go-home NLCS between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers, designated hitter Shohei Ohtani scored three runs in the bottom half of the second quarter and hit a 428-foot home run to put the Los Angeles Dodgers ahead 0-4.
The thrilling home run not only brought tears to the home crowd, but also inspired Ohtani to roar to the fans as he crossed the bases. The fans were so loud that the voices of color commentators could barely be heard.
Ohtani read pitcher Dustin May’s defense and knocked down his inbound ball like it was nothing.
Prior to that, the Dodgers moved Ohtani to the starting spot in the regular season after moving him to sixth in Game 3, a 6-2 loss in Los Angeles.
According to the New York Times, the pitcher has been battling lingering injuries that have deeply affected his swing as a designated hitter at the plate, making him look almost “ordinary.” But on Thursday, he looked like a regular superstar after hitting his first home run since Aug. 18, MLB analyst Jeff Passan reported.
Ohtani has been dealing with knee, bicep and neck injuries since the Dodgers placed him on the injured list in September. Before the home run, he was batting .182 (4-for-22) with seven strikeouts.
The Dodgers are 0-3 in the series, so Ohtani’s resurgence is an important tool in giving fans a glimmer of hope.