Ohtani Dominates Two-Way Action as Dodgers Complete Sweep of Rockies
- Christian Monreal
- May 27
- 2 min read
After capturing the opening two matchups of their divisional showdown against Colorado, the Los Angeles Dodgers had plenty of reason to be confident about securing a series sweep with two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani slated to pitch Wednesday evening. Though Ohtani has frequently sat out of the batting order on his pitching days this year, he is penciled into this matchup as both the starting pitcher and the leadoff designated hitter. The global superstar carried a microscopic 0.73 ERA through his first eight starts into the game, aiming to extend what has been a spectacular 2026 campaign.
Ohtani spearheaded the effort on Wednesday, setting a dominant tone for a Los Angeles roster that eagerly rode the wave of another masterful individual performance. Following a clean top of the first inning on the mound, Ohtani immediately put the Dodgers on the scoreboard by launching a leadoff home run deep into center field—marking his fourth time initiating a game with a longball this season. Even though he battled through four walks and uncharacteristic control problems, the right-hander maintained his elite form on the hill, giving up just a single run while anchoring six frames of no-hit baseball.
"I issued far too many free passes. Fighting through that lack of command was highly frustrating," Ohtani explained postgame via his interpreter, Will Ireton. "However, the guys in the bullpen have done a phenomenal job establishing the tempo, and ultimately, that is the most crucial thing."
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Ohtani was openly critical of his own performance despite the highly favorable final numbers, a perfectionist streak that highlights his intense drive.
"That elite mindset is exactly what separates players like him from everyone else," remarked Dodgers manager Dave Roberts regarding his star's self-criticism. "His competitive drive is just off the charts."
The Los Angeles offense built on Ohtani's opening blast by plating three additional runs, fueled by homers from Freddie Freeman and Andy Pages, alongside an RBI base hit from Alex Call. The collective effort propelled the Dodgers to a 4-1 victory, cementing their sweep of the Rockies. The Los Angeles pitching staff kept the combined no-hitter intact until the eighth inning, when Colorado outfielder Tyler Freeman broke up the bid with a two-out single against reliever Tanner Scott. It would stand as the lone hit recorded by the Rockies' offense all evening.
With Wednesday's victory in the books, Ohtani advances to 5-2 on the mound this season while keeping his season ERA under the 1.00 mark, sitting at a brilliant 0.82.
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