Judge, Ohtani light up first inning of World Series rematch with pair of homers

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Reigning MVPs Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani blasted historic home runs in the first inning as the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers met Friday night in a rematch of last year’s World Series.

Judge got the fireworks going with a 446-foot solo shot to dead center on a 1-1 pitch from Tony Gonsolin. The Yankees slugger’s 19th homer of the season tied him with Kyle Schwarber and Cal Raleigh for second in the majors.

Ohtani matched him in the bottom of the frame with a 417-foot homer to center on the first pitch from Max Fried.

It’s the first time reigning MVPs homered in the first inning of a game. Barry Bonds of San Francisco and Miguel Tejada of Oakland were the first reigning MVPs to homer in the same game, including the World Series, on June 30, 2002.

Ohtani led off the sixth with a solo shot to right-center, scurrying back to step on first base after missing it.

The long balls extended Ohtani's major league-lead to 22. He tied the Dodgers record for most in a month with 15.

The Japanese superstar has hit five homers in his last five games, with four coming on the first or second pitch.

The Yankees reclaimed the lead on Austin Wells' homer leading off the second. Trent Grisham added a two-run shot that made it 4-1.

Former MVP Paul Goldschmidt homered leading off the third, extending the Yankees' lead to 5-2.

The Dodgers beat the Yankees in five games to win their eighth world championship in 2024.

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