Shohei Ohtani delivered his first win on the mound as a Los Angeles Dodger, striking out a season-high nine batters over five innings in a 5-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium. With the win, the Dodgers became the first team this season to sweep the Reds.

Pitching into the fifth inning for the first time since returning from his second UCL repair, Ohtani allowed just one run on two hits while walking two. He threw a season-high 87 pitches, 53 for strikes, and retired the final eight batters he faced. His dominance anchored a historic performance for the Dodgers’ pitching staff, which had up 19 strikeouts, the most in a nine-inning game in franchise history and the most since at least 1901.

The outing was not without challenges. In a tough 27-pitch second inning, Ohtani issued two walks and threw two wild pitches, but managed to strike out the side to escape with runners stranded on second and third. An inning later, Noelvi Marte tagged him for a one-out solo homer, but Ohtani quickly settled down and found his rhythm.

Offensively, he made his presence felt as well. After Reds starter Nick Lodolo retired the first nine batters he faced, Ohtani broke through with a leadoff single in the fourth inning. That hit sparked a four-run rally that gave Los Angeles the lead for good. He finished 1-for-5 with a run scored.

The win marked the Dodgers’ fourth straight, extending their NL West lead to two games over the San Diego Padres, who fell 3-4 at Seattle. For Ohtani, it was not only a long-awaited first win as a Dodger pitcher but also a milestone moment in his two-way return, showcasing his skillset on the mound and at the plate.