By Rory Carroll
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Shohei Ohtani snatched his 50th and 51st stolen base of the season in Miami on Thursday, leaving the Los Angeles Dodgers’ slugger just two home runs away from being the first player in MLB history with 50 homers and 50 stolen bases in a single season.
Ohtani smoked a double to lead off the game and then stole third, sliding under the tag from Marlins third baseman Connor Norby.
The Japanese sensation, whose previous high for stolen bases in a season was 26, came around to score on a sacrifice fly to give the visitors an early 1-0 lead.
The base was removed from the field for safe keeping before the start of the bottom of the first inning.
In his next at-bat he hit an RBI single to right field to give the Dodgers a 2-0 lead and stole second on a play where the speedy Ohtani got such a good jump that Marlins catcher Nick Fortes did not even attempt to throw him out.
The 30-year-old is playing in his seventh season and has more than delivered for the Dodgers since being acquired in the off-season on a record 10-year, $700-million contract.
The two-way threat is not pitching this season as he recovers from off-season elbow surgery but his feats at the plate have him poised to win his third MVP award.
The NL West-leading Dodgers held a 2-1 lead over the lowly Marlins at the end of the second inning.
(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles)
