Ohtani Hits 2nd Straight Leadoff Homer, but Rangers Rally Past Dodgers 5-2

Texas avoids sweep as deGrom recovers from early Ohtani blast to lead Rangers to victory.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 4:03am

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A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting a baseball game, with sharp geometric shapes and planes representing the players, field, and action, without any identifiable elements.Ohtani's leadoff blast sets the stage, but the Rangers' resilience shines through in this cubist depiction of their comeback victory.Los Angeles Today

Shohei Ohtani connected off Jacob deGrom for his second straight leadoff home run, but the Texas Rangers rallied to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-2 on Sunday and avoid a three-game sweep. Evan Carter hit a tying home run off Roki Sasaki, and Brandon Nimmo drove in two runs for the Rangers.

Why it matters

Ohtani's leadoff homers have become must-watch events, as the two-way superstar continues to put up historic numbers. However, the Rangers were able to overcome the early deficit and pick up an important win against the powerful Dodgers lineup.

The details

Ohtani pulled the first pitch from deGrom, a 97.9 mph fastball, to right-center for his 26th career leadoff homer and fifth home run this season. But the Rangers rallied, with Carter's homer and Josh Smith's RBI single putting them ahead 2-1 in the third. Nimmo added RBI singles in the sixth and eighth innings to provide insurance for the Rangers.

  • Ohtani hit his leadoff homer in the top of the first inning.
  • The Rangers took the lead with a two-run third inning.
  • Nimmo's RBI singles came in the sixth and eighth innings.

The players

Shohei Ohtani

The Los Angeles Dodgers star hit his second straight leadoff home run to open the game.

Jacob deGrom

The Texas Rangers pitcher allowed just one run over six innings, striking out nine batters.

Evan Carter

The Texas Rangers outfielder hit a game-tying home run off Roki Sasaki in the third inning.

Brandon Nimmo

The Texas Rangers outfielder drove in two runs with RBI singles in the sixth and eighth innings.

Roki Sasaki

The Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher allowed two runs over four innings, striking out a career-high six batters.

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What’s next

The Rangers will look to build on this win as they head to Oakland to face the Athletics, while the Dodgers will host the New York Mets in a marquee matchup.

The takeaway

Despite Ohtani's early heroics, the Rangers showed resilience in rallying past the powerful Dodgers lineup, demonstrating their ability to overcome deficits and pick up important wins against top competition.