Shohei Ohtani homers, grinds out win over Padres in third two-way start of season

SAN DIEGO — Shohei Ohtani stood atop the rubber, wiped his brow and fixed his cap. The rival crowd at Petco Park was alive with anticipation as Fernando Tatis Jr. dug into the batter’s box with the bases loaded and the Padres down by three runs.It was the bottom of the fifth inning of a series finale in mid-May, but the recent rivalry between these division foes has heightened the atmosphere of each game to a playoff-caliber setting, regardless when they’re played. Ohtani, pitching and hitting in the same game for just the third time this season, sensed the moment as well. He nodded at catcher Will Smith, exhaled and diced in an 87 mile per hour sweeper that started off the plate and tailed away even more.Advertisement