Ohtani's 3 homers, 2-hit pitching propel Dodgers to World Series

Shohei Ohtani has propelled the Los Angeles Dodgers back to the World Series with a two-way performance for the ages.

Ohtani hit three mammoth home runs and pitched two-hit ball into the seventh inning, and the Dodgers swept the Milwaukee Brewers out of the NL Championship Series with a 5-1 victory in Game 4 on Friday night.

The Dodgers will have a chance to be baseball’s first repeat World Series champions in a quarter-century after this mind-blowing night for the three-time MVP Ohtani.

After striking out three in the top of the first, Ohtani hit the first leadoff homer by a pitcher in major league history off Brewers starter José Quintana.

Ohtani followed with a 469-foot blast in the fourth inning, clearing the left-field pavilion above the bleachers in left field.

Ohtani added a third solo shot in the seventh, becoming the 12th player in major league history to hit three homers in a playoff game.

Ohtani (2-0) also thoroughly dominated the Brewers in his second career postseason mound start, fanning 10 for his first double-digit strikeout game in a Dodgers uniform.

Los Angeles is back in the World Series for the fifth time in nine seasons, and it will attempt to become baseball’s first repeat champs since the New York Yankees won three straight World Series from 1998 to 2000.

Los Angeles will have a week off before the World Series begins next Friday, either in Toronto or at Dodger Stadium against Seattle.



(AP Photo Brynn Anderson)