Ohtani Hits 25th Homer as Dodgers Beat Giants 11-5

Shohei Ohtani hit two solo home runs, including a leadoff homer in the first inning and another in the sixth, leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to an 11-5 victory over the San Francisco Giants and moving the Dodgers one game clear in the National League West standings. Ohtani's 25th home run of the season extended his lead in the National League and brought him just behind Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh for the major-league lead, marking his 250th MLB home run and third multi-homer game this season. Clayton Kershaw pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing only three hits, and improved his career ERA against the Giants to 2.00 over 404 1/3 innings, moving closer to 3,000 career strikeouts. The Dodgers' offense rallied early with a six-run second inning, including contributions from Andy Pages, Michael Conforto, Mookie Betts, and Will Smith. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, originally from Okinawa, was honored by the Okinawa governor before the game, adding a cultural significance to the match. Ohtani's performance also marked a return to form after a slow start to June, as he improved his slash line and overall impact across 69 games this season.