Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani creates 50-50 Club with historic single-game performance

Even if he fell short of the 50 homer mark as the Dodgers left Miami, Shohei Ohtani would be able to do so knowing that he'd just had one of his best games of the season at the plate. In the series finale at LoanDepot Park, Ohtani's first visit back since winning the World Baseball Classic with Team Japan last year, he opened the ball game with a double, then stole his 50th base of the season. Only two home runs stood between him and the 50-50 Club.

Back up again in the top of the second, he singled and then promptly stole his 51st base. In the top of the third, the Dodgers started pouring on runs after Will Smith was hit by a pitch, Tommy Edman singled, and then Max Muncy, Gavin Lux, and Andy Pages walked back-to-back-to-back. Chris Taylor hit a sac fly to score the Dodgers' fifth run, the third of the inning, and then Ohtani was back again. Naturally, he doubled again to score two more, but the inning ended as he tried to get to third.

Top of the sixth, and Ohtani put one in the center field seats for his 49th homer of the season. Just one away; 9-3, Dodgers.

Just an inning later, after LA poured three more runs on, Ohtani came up for the fifth time that night to do what everyone was waiting to see (he was also threatening for a cycle, but that was ancillary at this point).

Mike Baumann threw three pitches and got to a 1-2 count before going back to a knuckle curve that had landed in the dirt just one pitch before. It stayed in the zone, Ohtani turned, then sent it out of the park. 50 homers.

Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani hits his 49th and 50th home runs against the Marlins to become the first member of the 50-50 Club

Ohtani not only became the first to the 50-50 milestone, but he broke Shawn Green's Dodgers record for homers in a season, tied Rickey Henderson for the most games in a single season with a homer and stolen base (13), and he was still on cycle watch, as long as the Marlins kept allowing runners on base at the pace they were going.

Not since 1901 (at least!) has anyone had a game this spectacular.

Joe Davis yelled on the call, "He's in a world of his own! One of a kind player! One of a kind season! Shohei Ohtani starts the 50-50 Club!" Ohtani was greeted by high fives and a hug from Dave Roberts when he returned to the dugout, and then he went up back up the steps to tip his cap to the crowd and receive another ovation from a visiting ballpark that was mostly filled with people who wanted to see him do exactly what he did.

Davis went on to wax poetic about Ohtani through at least the next half-inning, but it's hard to be mad about it. Ohtani is a one of a kind player who just did a one of a kind thing.