Ohtani homers, Yamamoto sharp in WBC opener

While most of Los Angeles was asleep at 2 a.m. Friday morning, two familiar Dodgers stars were wide awake on the international stage.

Representing Team Japan in the opening round of the World Baseball Classic, Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto helped deliver an emphatic 13–0 victory over Chinese Taipei.

And they didn’t waste much time making their presence felt. Ohtani, looking to lead Japan to another WBC title, jumped on the very first pitch he saw in the opening inning and rocketed a 117.1 mph double. It was an early signal of what was coming next.

The game broke open in a stunning second inning.

Japan erupted for 10 runs in the frame, with Ohtani at the center of it. The Dodgers superstar capped the rally with a towering grand slam, part of a five-RBI night that had him flirting with history before the game even reached the middle innings. By the end of the night, Ohtani finished 3-for-4 with a double, grand slam, and five RBIs, falling just a triple shy of the cycle — all by the second inning.

“That was the inning that really decided the game,” Ohtani said after the win. “After scoring the first few runs, we kept our focus and worked some walks, so I think we managed the game well from there. Overall, I think it was a good game.”

Ohtani knew the grand slam the moment it left his bat.

“I knew it was going to leave the park right after I hit it,” he said. “It’s important to score first, so I really wanted to drive in at least a run.”

While Ohtani was lighting up the scoreboard, Yamamoto quietly handled his assignment on the mound. The Dodgers ace worked 2⅔ scoreless innings, allowing no hits while striking out two. Command wavered at times — he issued three walks — but he still kept Chinese Taipei off the board across 53 pitches (33 strikes).

“I am so pleased that I pitched in such a great big joy of playing for Team Japan,” Yamamoto said postgame. “Right now I feel very good because we won.”

Still, the right-hander saw room for improvement.

“The first inning I did well,” Yamamoto said. “But after we scored a lot, I was trying to focus but I think my command was not as well as I was expecting. I have little things that I have to fix for the future, but overall we won tonight. That meant everything.”

For Dodgers fans, the early-morning showcase offered a glimpse of two of the franchise’s biggest stars dominating on baseball’s global stage. Japan’s title defense is just getting started. Samurai Japan returns to action Saturday morning at 2 a.m. PT against the South Korea, with the game set to air on Fox Sports 1.