MIAMI (AP) — Shohei Ohtani became the first player in major league history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a season when he homered three times and stole two bases to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a playoff-clinching 20-4 rout of the Miami Marlins on Thursday.
Ohtani also became the first player with three homers and two steals in a game. He doubled twice, had a career-best six hits and set a Dodgers record with 10 RBIs. His 51 homers this season broke Shawn Green's franchise record of 49, set in 2001.
The Japanese star began the day two homers and one steal shy of the 50-50 mark. Ohtani doubled to lead off the game and then swiped third to get to 50 steals. He stole his 51st base in the second inning.
Ohtani homered in the sixth off reliever George Soriano, a 438-foot drive to the second deck in right-center. His 49th homer put the Dodgers ahead 9-3. His turn came again in the seventh and Ohtani connected with his historic blast, an opposite field shot over the left-field wall against Mike Baumann.
Ohtani was mobbed by his Dodgers teammates when he reached the dugout. The crowd of 15,548 continued cheering until Ohtani emerged from the dugout for a curtain call.
In the ninth, Ohtani faced infielder Vidal Bruján and hit his third homer – a 440-foot, three-run blast that highlighted a six-run inning.
Ohtani’s historic day nearly included a cycle. He was thrown out at third while attempting to stretch his second double into a triple.
The NL West-leading Dodgers clinched their 12th consecutive playoff berth and reduced their magic number to clinch the division to six.
Dodgers starter Jack Flaherty allowed three runs and five hits over six innings. Flaherty (13-7) walked two and struck out five.
Ohtani put the Dodgers ahead 7-1 with a two-run double in the third off Edward Cabrera (4-8), who was lifted after issuing consecutive walks with the bases loaded.
Andy Pages hit a two-run double in the seventh to increase Los Angeles’ lead to 12-3 and scored on Ohtani’s second homer.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: INF Miguel Rojas (illness) was available to pinch-hit and will return Friday, manager Dave Roberts said.
Marlins: Bruján (shoulder sprain) and OF Derek Hill (left shoulder impingement) were reinstated from the injured list.
UP NEXT
Dodgers: Have not named a starter for the opener of a three-game home series Friday against LHP Kyle Freeland (5-7, 4.89 ERA) and Colorado.
Marlins: Continue their final homestand of the season Friday with RHP Valente Bellozo (2-4, 3.70) opening a three-game series against Atlanta. RHP Charlie Morton (8-8, 4.01) will start for the Braves.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, right, of Japan, congratulates teammates after a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, of Japan, smiles at teammates as he does a postgame interview after a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, of Japan, hits a home run, scoring Max Muncy and Chris Taylor, during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani (17) reacts after hitting his 50th home run of the season during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Manchester City’s stunning slump continued Saturday with a 2-1 loss to Aston Villa in the Premier League.
Goals from Jhon Duran and Morgan Rogers at Villa Park consigned the four-time defending champion to a ninth defeat in 12 games in a season that is unravelling. Pep Guardiola’s team has won just once during that run.
“We have to stay positive, even though it’s difficult, and we have to keep working hard,” City striker Erling Haaland said.
Phil Foden pulled a goal back for City in stoppage time, but it wasn’t enough to spark a late comeback.
City dropped to sixth in the standings — nine points below leader Liverpool, having played two games more. Villa climbed to fifth.
City’s remarkable fall shows little sign of stopping, with Guardiola admitting last week that he had not been good enough to turn his team’s form around.
Defeat meant the once-dominant City is without a win in any of its last eight away games in all competitions. While it looks unlikely to win a fifth-straight title, a place in the top four and Champions League qualification could also be in jeopardy.
“We concede the goals we don’t concede in the past, we (don’t) score the goals we score in the past,” Guardiola said. “We have to think positive and I have incredible trust in the guys. Some of them have incredible pride and desire to do it. We have to find a way, step by step, sooner or later to find a way back.”
Only once under Guardiola has City managed to win the title when losing six times in the league. That was in the 2020-21 campaign, when it lost two of its last three games, having already been confirmed champion.
City lost nine times when Liverpool won the title in '19-20, but its sixth defeat didn't come until the February of that campaign. Guardiola also lost six times in the league in his first season in English soccer in '16-17 and City finished third in the standings.
The latest defeat could have been even more emphatic against a dominant Villa. Duran scored his sixth goal in as many starts in the 16th minute from Rogers’ assist.
Duran had a goal disallowed for offside in the second half and Rogers hit the post before doubling Villa’s lead in the 65th.
Foden's goal in the third minute of added time came too late for City.
James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola, center, and players leave the field at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Manchester City, at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)
Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers, center, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Manchester City, at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)
Aston Villa's Jhon Duran celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Manchester City, at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)
Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Manchester City, at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)
Manchester City's Phil Foden reacts after Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Manchester City, at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)
