LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani pitched one hitless inning Sunday in his second mound start for the Los Angeles Dodgers, striking out two and allowing just one baserunner on an error.
The three-time MVP then drove in five runs at the plate, hitting a three-run triple down the right field line in the seventh before adding a two-run homer in the eighth.
Ohtani threw 18 pitches against the Washington Nationals at Chavez Ravine, recording 12 strikes with one wild pitch. After leadoff hitter CJ Abrams grounded out, Mookie Betts dropped James Wood's popup in the sun, but Ohtani struck out Luis García Jr. and Nathaniel Lowe to end it.
Ohtani then struck out on seven pitches as the Dodgers' leadoff hitter against Washington's Michael Soroka in the bottom half of the first.
He struck out again before his late-game power spree, capped by his 26th homer of the season in the eighth inning.
Ben Casparius replaced Ohtani on the mound in the second inning for the Dodgers, who likely saw what they hoped to see from their two-way superstar.
Ohtani's fastball topped out at 98.8 mph after hitting 100 in his first outing, and he finished both of his strikeouts with breaking balls.
Ohtani allowed two hits and a run while throwing 28 pitches in the first inning Monday against San Diego in his first mound outing since 2023.