Rising to the occasion, Shohei Ohtani hits 2-run HR in return to Japan against Yomiuri Giants

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese star Shohei Ohtani showed off some prodigious power in his return to the Tokyo Dome on Saturday night.

In an exhibition game against the Yomiuri Giants, the three-time MVP belted a two-run homer to right field in the third inning to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 4-0 lead, setting off a roar from the roughly 42,000 fans in attendance.

“He always seems to rise to certain occasions, expectation to put on a performance,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Once again, he delivered.”

Ohtani led off the game with a walk and came to bat for a second time in the third inning. He didn't get his best swing on the ball, but the 6-foot-4, 210-pound slugger was still able to launch a slider from Yomiuri's Shosei Togo 391 feet, which was plenty of distance to get it over the fence.

The 30-year-old is just 4 1/2 months removed from surgery on his left (non-throwing) shoulder but has recovered remarkably fast. His big swing at the Tokyo Dome is another sign that he's feeling good heading into his eighth big league season, his second with the Dodgers.

“I was a bit out front on it, but it went out at a good angle and I thought it was going to be a home run," Ohtani said, through a translation.

The Dodgers put on quite a power display in the third with Michael Conforto, Ohtani and Teoscar Hernández all going deep to give Los Angeles a 5-0 advantage. Conforto said it was great to go deep in his first at-bat, but the conversation quickly switched to Ohtani.

“It's really amazing,” Conforto said. “In every big moment, he seems to just do what the fans want him to do.”

Los Angeles beat Yomiuri 5-1.

The Dodgers are playing in Japan as part of the Tokyo Series. The team is playing two exhibition games against Japanese teams before starting the regular season with two games against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday and Wednesday.

In 2024, Ohtani became the first player in MLB history to have at least 50 homers and 50 stolen bases in one season. He played several seasons for the Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan before coming to the U.S. in 2018 with the Los Angeles Angels.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the third inning of a spring training baseball game against the Yomiuri Giants in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Yomiuri Giants' Makoto Kadowaki, left, throws to first to complete the double play after forcing Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, right, at second in the first inning of a spring training baseball game in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the third inning of a spring training baseball game against the Yomiuri Giants in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani connects for a two-run home run in the third inning of a spring training baseball game against the Yomiuri Giants in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, left, and first base coach Chris Woodward, right, greet each other after Ohtani earned a walk in the first inning of a spring training baseball game against the Yomiuri Giants in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani waves from the field as he warms up before a spring training baseball game against the Yomiuri Giants in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, rear left, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, rear right, talk as they watch a spring training baseball game against the Yomiuri Giants in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani waits on a pitch in the first inning of a spring training baseball game against the Yomiuri Giants in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, left, and Yomiuri Giants' Yoshihiro Maru, front, greet each other before the first inning of a spring training baseball game in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

BOSTON (AP) — Anthony Cirelli scored twice and the Tampa Bay Lightning held Boston without a shot in the second period in a 6-2 victory over the Bruins on Saturday night.

Nick Paul, Victor Hedman and Darren Raddysh added goals to help Tampa Bay snap a three-game skid. Cirelli and Ben Hagel had empty-netters.

Elias Lindholm and Marat Khusnutdinov scored for the Bruins. They are 2-2 since trading three longtime cornerstone players — including captain Brad Marchand — at the deadline.

Paul’s goal off a rebound from the left edge of the crease made it 2-1 at 2:13 of the second.

Coming off a shootout loss at Philadelphia, the Lightning jumped ahead on Hedman’s goal on the second rebound out of a scramble early into the game.

Lindholm’s one-timed a shot past Andrei Vasilevskiy off a nifty feed from Andrew Peeke, tying it in the opening period.

The teams faced each other for the second time in eight days after Boston won at Tampa Bay in its first game after the trades.

Lightning: Despite scuffling lately following an outstanding February when they went 7-0-1, they’re still in position to make a run at one of the Atlantic Division’s top two seeds.

Bruins: They move closer to being eliminated from postseason play for the first time since 2016 as they sit outside a crowded wild-card chase.

With Tampa Bay leading 2-1 seconds after its power play expired, Cirelli, positioned in the slot, tipped Ryan McDonagh’s shot past Jeremy Swayman.

Boston was outshot 20-0 in the second. It was the Bruins’ second period this season without a shot on goal. Before that, they hadn’t had a period without one since 2007. The Bruins finished with 12 shots on goal.

Both teams play Monday night. The Lightning host Philadelphia, and the Bruins host Buffalo.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman makes a save during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Florida Panthers, Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)