Shohei Ohtani heads to 1st postseason after Dodgers win NL West title with a 7-2 win over Padres

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani is headed to the postseason for the first time in his career after the Los Angeles Dodgers won the NL West on Thursday night by scoring five runs in the seventh inning in a 7-2 win over the second-place San Diego Padres.

The Japanese superstar spent his first six MLB seasons in Anaheim, where the Los Angeles Angels never had a winning record or played in October. He signed a $700 million, 10-year deal with the Dodgers last offseason.

He made a rookie mistake, though. Ohtani wasn't wearing goggles like most of his teammates during the alcohol-soaked clubhouse celebration. He blinked hard several times and his eyes appeared red while talking to media outside the throbbing party.

“It stung a little bit in my eyes,” he said, smiling. “It was an awesome feeling and I'm hoping to be able to continue popping more champagne.”

Ohtani went 3 for 5, driving in a go-ahead run and scoring another.

“Today I came to the stadium really wanting to clinch and I'm glad that we were able to do that,” Ohtani said through an interpreter.

Ohtani's blue T-shirt was soaked through and his dark hair dampened. Cigar smoke spilled out of the clubhouse.

“Shohei was showered with champagne. He's going to smell like a brewery for the next week,” manager Dave Roberts said. “This is what Shohei signed up for, this is what he wanted to be a part of. Shohei's just been remarkable this entire season.”

The Dodgers had not clinched at home since the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, when cardboard cutouts replaced fans in the stands. The last time fans were on hand for a clincher at home was 2018.

A sellout crowd of 52,433, including retired Dodgers star Manny Ramirez, packed Dodger Stadium for the finale of the crucial series.

The Dodgers took two of three from the Padres and head to Colorado for a three-game set to conclude the regular season.

Their 11th division title in 12 seasons earned them a first-round bye in the postseason. That will give All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman time to recover from an injured right ankle that he sustained late in the game.

The Dodgers improved to 95-64 and will open the playoffs on Oct. 5 at home in a best-of-five Division Series.

Will Smith hit a tying, two-run homer off Joe Musgrove to start the Dodgers' rally. Musgrove had held them scoreless through six innings as the Padres took a 2-0 lead.

Musgrove gave up a leadoff walk to Max Muncy. Smith followed with a 426-foot shot to center, tying the game at 2-2. It was the Dodgers’ first home run of the three-game series.

Pinch-hitter Kiké Hernández singled and took second when Andy Pages reached on catcher’s interference by Kyle Higashioka. Ohtani singled and Hernández scored on an error, while Ohtani was safe at second on Fernando Tatis Jr.'s throwing error.

Pages and Ohtani scored on Mookie Betts’ single to make it 5-2.

Pages added a two-run, two-strike, two-out homer in the eighth.

The rally against the Padres was dampened by Freeman's departure after awkwardly colliding with Luis Arraez and the first base bag trying to avoid being tagged for the second out of the seventh. Freeman grabbed at his lower right leg before hobbling off the field.

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Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Michael Kopech, left, celebrates with teammate catcher Will Smith after the Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 7-2 in a baseball game to clinch the National League West division Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, right, douses teammate starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, left, after the Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 7-2 in a baseball game to clinch the National League West division Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani hugs a teammate after the Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 7-2 in a baseball game to clinch the National League West division Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani celebrates with teammates after the Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 7-2 in a baseball game to clinch the National League West division Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Will Smith (16) celebrates with teammate Max Muncy after hitting a two-run home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Will Smith celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman (5) suffers an injury after grounding out during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Will Smith hits a two-run home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Will Smith celebrates his two-run home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman reacts in the dugout after an injury during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

TOKYO (AP) — Japan's governing party is holding its leadership election on Friday that will determine the nation's new prime minister.

The winner of the vote by the Liberal Democratic Party is assured of being chosen prime minister in a parliamentary vote next week because the governing coalition controls both houses.

No one won a majority in the first round of voting, forcing a runoff among former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who has been ranked No. 1 in media surveys, and Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi, a staunch conservative who ran against Kishida in 2021. If Takaichi wins, she would become Japan’s first female prime minister.

A record nine lawmakers, including two women, vied for the job, with backroom dealing among party heavyweights making the outcome hard to predict.

The current p rime minister, Fumio Kishida, has been dogged by party corruption scandals, and the LDP is looking for a fresh leader in hopes of regaining public trust before a looming general election.

The vote is limited to LDP members of parliament and about 1 million dues-paying party members. That’s only 1% of the country’s eligible voters.

Past votes were often determined by the party’s powerful faction leaders, but that may change this time because all but one of the six factions has announced their dissolution following the corruption scandals.

There's widespread worry among experts that the removal of faction support from whoever wins could mean Japan will return to an era similar to the early 2000s, which saw “revolving door” leadership changes and political instability.

A succession of short-lived governments hurts Japanese prime ministers' ability to set up long-term policy goals or develop trusted relations with other leaders.

Women make up only 10.3% of Japan’s lower house of parliament. That makes the country 163rd for female representation among 190 countries examined in an April report by the Geneva-based Inter-Parliamentary Union.

On Tuesday, Kishida and his Cabinet ministers will resign. The new leader, after being formally elected in a parliamentary vote, will then form a new Cabinet later in the day.

The main opposition — the liberal-leaning Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan — has struggled to build momentum, despite the LDP scandals. But experts say its newly elected leader, centrist former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, is pushing a conservative shift for the party, could trigger a broader political regroupings.

Follow AP's Asia-Pacific coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/asia-pacific

Officials count ballots during the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) leadership election at the party headquarters Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae, Pool)

Party members cast their ballots at the Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) leadership election Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae, Pool)

Officials count ballots during the Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) leadership election at the LDP headquarters Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae, Pool)

Officials count ballots during the Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) leadership election at the LDP headquarters Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae, Pool)

One of candidates Taro Kono, center, casts his ballot at the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) leadership election Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae, Pool)

One of candidates, Toshimitsu Motegi, right, casts his ballot at the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) leadership election Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae, Pool)

One of candidates, Yoshimasa Hayashi, center, casts his ballot at the Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) leadership election Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae, Pool)

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, center, casts his ballot at the Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) leadership election Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae, Pool)

Japan's Foreign Minister and one of the candidates Yoko Kamikawa casts her ballot at the Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) leadership election Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae, Pool)

One of candidates Shigeru Ishiba casts his ballot at the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) leadership election Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae, Pool)

FILE - Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida listens at the Quad leaders summit at Archmere Academy in Claymont, Del., Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)

FILE - Candidates for Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) presidential election pose for a photo before a debate at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo, on Sept. 14, 2024. From left are Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi, former Economic Security Minister Takayuki Kobayashi, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, former Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato, Digital Minister Taro Kono, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Toshimitsu Motegi. (Takashi Aoyama/Pool Photo via AP, File)