Dodgers' batboy saves Shohei Ohtani from foul ball with barehanded catch

June 27 (UPI) -- Veteran batboy Javier Herrera made one of the best plays of the game during the Los Angeles Dodgers' latest win, snagging a foul ball with his bare hands while potentially saving MVP candidate Shohei Ohtani from injury.

The incident occurred in the top of the third inning of the 4-0 triumph over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago.

Dodgers infielder Enrique Hernandez was at the plate, leading off the inning. He took a sinker for a called strike to start the exchange with White Sox starter Erick Fedde. Fedde missed the strike zone with his next three pitches.

He then threw a 93.4-mph sinker. Hernandez sliced at the high-and-inside pitch with a half-swing, ripping the ball to his right. The ball skipped off the ground and careened toward Ohtani, who was near the dugout steps.

Herrera -- a Dodgers batboy for the last two decades -- instinctively put his hands up, catching the ball to his right as Ohtani jumped out of danger.

Video of the star-saving snag immediately gained steam on social media, with several X users commenting about Herrera's efforts.

One user suggested that Herrera earned free Dodger Dogs for life. Another estimated the catch was worth $700 million, a reference to Ohtani's contract

Hernandez went on to single two pitches later. Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes also singled in the next at-bat. Ohtani followed with a walk. Outfielder Teoscar Hernandez then plated Hernandez with a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 Dodgers lead.

Ohtani and Barnes scored two pitches later when first baseman Freddie Freeman hit an RBI double to right field.

Ohtani, who homered in the first at-bat of the game, went 1 for 2 with two runs scored, two walks and an RBI. His .322 batting average this season is best among MLB qualified batters. Ohtani's 25 home runs, 65 runs scored, .643 slugging percentage and 200 total bases lead the National League.

Enrique Hernandez went 1 for 4 with a run scored and two strikeouts in Wednesday's win. Fellow veteran infielder Miguel Rojas recorded a team-high two hits in the triumph.

Dodgers starter Gavin Stone allowed just four hits over nine innings in a complete-game shutout to improve to 9-2 this season. He also logged seven strikeouts and did not issue a walk.

The Dodgers (51-31) will face the San Francisco Giants (39-42) at 10:15 p.m. EDT Friday in San Francisco.