Shohei Ohtani makes pitching return to Angel Stadium, Dodgers couldn't prevent sweep

ANAHEIM, Calif. — There was a time when Shohei Ohtani walking to the mound at Angel Stadium was the beginning of a hopeful night for the home crowd. On Wednesday night, it was just the opposite. This time, Ohtani was back in Anaheim — not in red, but in Dodger blue, and not as a designated hitter, but as the man with the ball in his hand.

And with all eyes watching, Ohtani delivered a performance only he could script, despite being swept by the Angels for the second time this season.

In his much-anticipated return to Angel Stadium as a starting pitcher for the Dodgers — just his second trip back to the place he called home for six seasons — Ohtani made sure to leave another historic mark. He opened the game not from the mound, but in the batter’s box, where he ripped a leadoff triple into the right-center gap, his eighth triple of the season. It was vintage Ohtani: blazing speed, explosive bat. But this wasn’t just another extra-base hit — it was history. He became the first starting pitcher since 1900 to hit a leadoff triple.

Moments later, Mookie Betts brought him home with a sharp single, and before the first out was recorded, the Dodgers were up 1-0. Will Smith made it 3-0 with a two-run blast, and with a comfortable cushion, Ohtani took the mound.

Then, the show really began.

Ohtani opened his night on the mound with a 16-pitch first inning that featured two strikeouts — including former teammate Mike Trout, who looked frozen as a third strike zipped by him. It was the kind of inning that reminds you why he was once the most electrifying two-way player in the sport — and why he still might be.

But baseball never follows a straight line, especially not in Anaheim. In the second inning, the Angels fought back. Taylor Ward crushed a 375-foot solo shot to right, followed by a double from Yoan Moncada. With a pair of sacrifice flies, the Angels scratched together two runs, making it a 3-2 game.

Ohtani didn’t strike anyone out in that frame, but he recalibrated quickly. He stormed through the third and fourth innings with renewed aggression, punching out three more — including Trout again, this time swinging. Through four innings, he had struck out six and allowed just two runs.

Dave Roberts had made it clear pregame that Ohtani would be on a pitch count — max five innings. But by the time he stepped onto the mound for the fifth, that leash was wearing thin.

He struck out Luis Rengifo for his seventh K of the night to begin the inning, but the Angels didn’t go quietly. Logan O’Hoppe and Bryce Teodosio strung together back-to-back singles, and then Zach Neto — who had struck out earlier — turned the game with a two-run double down the left-field line, cutting the Dodgers’ lead to 5-4.

Just like that, Ohtani’s night was done.

Roberts emerged from the dugout and made the walk to the mound, signaling to the bullpen as he removed his $700 million star. Ohtani left to a mix of familiar cheers and scattered boos — perhaps a reminder of what once was and what now is. He finished with 4 ⅓ innings pitched, five hits, four earned runs, and seven strikeouts on 80 pitches. Dominant at times, vulnerable at others — a reminder that even Ohtani is human.

Left-hander Anthony Banda came on and managed to escape a bases-loaded jam with a flyout from Christina Moore, preserving the Dodgers’ 5-4 lead after five innings.

The Dodgers entered the eighth inning with a one-run lead, trailing by half a game in the National League West Division, following the San Diego Padres' victory earlier in the day. Left-hander Justin Wrobleski faced challenges in the eighth, walking both Mike Trout and Taylor Ward to start the inning. Angels rookie Christian Moore then executed a sacrifice bunt, advancing both runners into scoring position. Jo Adell, who had a walk-off single on Tuesday night, followed with a single to load the bases for Logan O'Hoppe.

O'Hoppe hit a two-run single off Edgardo Henriquez, scoring Moore and Ward, which gave the Angels a 6-5 win on Wednesday night.

The Dodgers' offense was unable to turn things around in the ninth inning as former player Kenley Jansen secured his 23rd save of the season. This year, the Dodgers were swept by the Angels in two separate series, losing three games at Dodger Stadium in May and three more games this week.

The Dodgers are gearing up for a three-game series against the Padres, beginning on Friday at Dodger Stadium, after enjoying a day off on Thursday. They are currently trailing the Padres by one game in the National League West Division. Ohtani has shared his concerns about the division race.

"Obviously, it doesn't feel good to fall in second place and to lose a lot of these games," Ohtani said. "We're doing everything that we can to try to right the ship. We just have to do a better job."

Returning to Angel Stadium after six seasons in Anaheim, Ohtani expressed his emotions about pitching on the mound again.

"I had a lot of good memories being on this team," Ohtani said. "It's one of my favorite stadiums to play in, so it was a really important mark for me to be able to pitch on this mound again."