Shohei Ohtani hits 1st career playoff HR to tie Game 1 in Dodgers-Padres NLDS

Shohei Ohtani finished the regular season on an all-time hot streak. That continued in Game 1 of the NLDS for the Dodgers. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Welcome to the MLB playoffs, Shohei Ohtani.

In his second career postseason at-bat, the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar crushed a two-out, three-run homer to tie the game against the San Diego Padres in Game 1 of the NLDS. Dodger Stadium was happy, to say the least.

Ohtani was also pretty happy.

Ohtani flew out to left field in his first career postseason at-bat.

The home run was exactly the lift the Dodgers needed after a nightmare first inning for Yoshinobu Yamamoto. In his fifth start since returning from a rotator cuff injury in September, Yamamoto allowed three runs in the first inning, two of them on a homer by Manny Machado.

All eyes were on Ohtani as the playoffs began, especially after the $700 million man finished the regular season hitting .628/.667/1.186 with six homers, six doubles, 10 stolen bases, 15 runs and 20 RBI in his final 10 games.

We’ll call Saturday a good start for him in October.