Shohei Ohtani broke a three-game RBI drought with a timely single as he helped the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Washington Nationals 6-5 in their series opener on Friday.

The two-way superstar went 1-for-3 with two walks and showed no ill effects from being hit with a fastball in Thursday’s 5-3 loss to the San Diego Padres.

Ohtani extended the home team’s lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the fourth at Dodger Stadium when he scored Miguel Rojas with a ground-ball single to right field.

Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers takes off toward first base after hitting an RBI single in the fourth inning of a Major League Baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on June 20, 2025. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Rojas starred for the Dodgers, hitting a two-run homer in the sixth as part of a 2-for-3 outing.

Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said Ohtani, who was plunked near the right shoulder by San Diego closer Robert Suarez during an ill-tempered end to Thursday’s game, would still pitch as scheduled against Washington on Sunday.

Roberts sat out the series opener against the Nationals while serving a one-game suspension for his part in Thursday’s flare-up between the Dodgers and Padres. San Diego skipper Mike Shildt was also suspended for a game, while Suarez received a three-game ban, which he is appealing.

In other MLB action, Baltimore Orioles starter Tomoyuki Sugano was pulled after 3-2/3 innings of his team’s 5-3 comeback win against the New York Yankees.

The Japanese right-hander gave up three runs on seven hits, including an Aaron Judge solo home run in the third, while walking three and striking out four. The Orioles turned the game around with two runs in the eighth.

Los Angeles Angels starter Yusei Kikuchi did not factor in his team’s 3-2, 10-inning loss to the Houston Astros after throwing seven innings of two-run ball in which he scattered six hits and had nine strikeouts.

Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers smiles on first base during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on June 20, 2025. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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