Shohei Ohtani hit a two-run homer to take revenge, while James Outman robbed Carlos Correa of a home run.

He hit one, launched another... and then robbed a third.

Players can interact with home runs in three direct ways, and the Dodgers executed a triple play in today's game, winning 5-2 against the Twins. Ohtani handled the first two interactions, while James Outman took care of the last one.

In the first inning, Ohtani became involved in both aspects of the home run: first, he was taken deep by Byron Buxton in his first at-bat, and then he retaliated with a two-run shot that traveled 441 feet according to Statcast. No pitcher had been both hit and hit a home run in the first inning of the same game since Randy Lerch of the Philadelphia Phillies against the Chicago Cubs on May 18, 1979.

In the ninth inning, Kirby Yates took over for the injured Tanner Scott and nearly allowed Carlos Correa to hit a game-tying three-run homer—Outman leaped at the center-field wall to rob the ball, and as "I Love L.A." played, the anxious home crowd breathed a sigh of relief.

"Correa is a top hitter, and that swing was perfect," said manager Dave Roberts. "The humidity in the air tonight helped us; we were lucky to escape that one."

The Dodgers hit four home runs throughout the game—Will Smith had two, and Andy Pages added one—securing their first victory after the All-Star break, ending a three-game losing streak.

Ohtani, in his sixth start of the season, struggled early: he allowed a slider that was left hanging to be hit by Buxton into the left-center field stands. This was the first home run allowed by Ohtani this season (and also his first extra-base hit), ending his streak of eight scoreless innings since his debut.

"It was purely my mistake," Ohtani said through translator Will Ireton. "A strong hitter like him will punish that kind of error."

However, what sets Ohtani apart from other pitchers is his ability to provide offensive support. After Mookie Betts, the new leadoff man, walked in the first inning, Ohtani crushed a changeup from Twins starter David Festa at 113.4 mph, marking his 35th home run of the season.

Ohtani has now hit five first-inning home runs in his pitching career, more than any other pitcher in Major League history.

"It's like being a kid: after you get hit, you go back to the dugout and say, 'I want to hit one back,'" Buxton reflected. "This moment perfectly replicated that. While I don't want to target us, it’s just crazy."

Despite the Twins hitters repeatedly connecting with Ohtani—eight of the eleven balls hit off him had exit velocities of 97.5 mph or higher—this two-way star only allowed runs from Buxton's first at-bat homer. Ohtani threw 46 pitches over three innings (for the second consecutive game), striking out three, allowing four hits, and issuing one walk.

"Too many good pitches were left hanging, especially after two strikes," Ohtani analyzed. "I should have pitched to the corners, but I ended up in the heart of the zone."

Dustin May relieved Ohtani, throwing 4.2 scoreless innings (using 100 pitches), marking his first relief appearance since 2020, and he will return to a traditional starting role in his next outing.

With Ohtani completing three innings in consecutive games, his next appearance will likely see an increase in pitch count. He may pitch four innings in his next two starts before returning to a regular starting rotation.

Ohtani's last start helped the Dodgers end their longest losing streak of the season at seven games (against San Francisco), and this game ended a shorter three-game losing streak. Roberts described his performance as "leading the team to victory by sheer will."

"He showed an extra level of focus in his hitting decisions," Roberts noted. "I've mentioned before that he has a different sharpness when pitching compared to hitting. He understands the team’s situation and is excelling in his responsibilities."