Los Angeles County proclaimed May 17 "Shohei Ohtani Day" on Friday and the Dodgers' two-way star played his part in the celebration with his National League-leading 13th home run in a 7-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds.
"I'm really happy to experience a day like today and it's a special moment," Ohtani said at Los Angeles City Hall in the morning after the council officially named the May date, after the No. 17 he wears, in honor of his athletic achievement.
On the field at Dodger Stadium in the evening, the 29-year-old gave the Dodgers a 3-0 lead with an opposite-field two-run shot on a first-pitch Frankie Montas fastball.
Ohtani went 1-for-4 and scored twice. He leads Major League Baseball with a .358 batting average, and moved into a three-way tie for the MLB home run lead.
Will Smith broke a 3-3 tie in the seventh with an RBI single that scored Ohtani, and Jason Heyward had a two-run home run in the eighth for the Dodgers to cap the scoring.
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