LOS ANGELES — If this is Shohei Ohtani in playoff mode, October could be very entertaining. Ohtani watched Tuesday night’s shocking game-ending triple play from the on-deck circle, robbed of a chance to bat with the game on the line. He got back at the San Diego Padres a day later, going 2 for 3 and twice driving in a go-ahead run for the Dodgers as they rebounded to beat the Padres, 4-3, on Wednesday night. The win rebuilt the Dodgers’ National League West lead to three games with four games left and cut their magic number to clinch the division to two. A win over the Padres on Thursday night would clinch the Dodgers’ 11th division title in 12 years. Ohtani wasn’t part of those other division title teams, but he is doing his best to single-handedly carry the Dodgers over the finish line of this division race. In his past six games, Ohtani is a walking video game – 17 for 24 (.708) with four doubles, five home runs, 15 RBIs, 11 runs scored and seven stolen bases (he pushed his season total to 56). Remember when Ohtani started the season 1 for 19 with runners in scoring position, pressing to make a good first impression with his new team? He has batted .303 (37 for 122) in those situations since that start, including 2 for 2 on Wednesday. He led off the bottom of the first inning with a walk, moved up on a wild pitch and scored on Teoscar Hernandez’s two-out RBI single. A walk extended the inning and the Dodgers forced Padres starter Dylan Cease to throw 28 pitches in a first inning that ended with Fernando Tatis Jr.’s back to the right field wall as he hauled in Will Smith’s long fly ball. Jack Flaherty gave the lead right back in the top of the second by walking Manny Machado, giving up a double to Jackson Merrill and an RBI single to Xander Bogaerts. A ground out brought in a second run before Flaherty struck out Donovan Solano and Elias Diaz. It  was the Dodgers’ turn in the fourth inning. With two outs, Tommy Edman doubled to right-center field and scored on Gavin Lux’s RBI single. Miguel Rojas drew a walk, extending the inning for Ohtani, who ripped a line drive off the bullpen gate in right field – the 116.8 mph missile surprisingly didn’t burn a hole through it. The double scored Lux with the go-ahead run, but Rojas rounded third and held up, feinting toward home when the ball got away from the cutoff man then scrambling back to third base. The effort left Rojas injured and a trainer checked on him. He stayed in as Mookie Betts popped out to end the inning but Rojas left the game with left groin tightness after that. Related Articles Los Angeles Dodgers | Shohei Ohtani’s historic 50/50 home run ball to be auctioned – starting bid is $500K Los Angeles Dodgers | Alexander: Will Padres series prepare Dodgers for what’s to come? Los Angeles Dodgers | Dodgers stunned by game-ending triple play (with Ohtani on deck) in loss to Padres Los Angeles Dodgers | Dodgers promote minor-league pitcher who hit 104 mph this season Los Angeles Dodgers | Dodgers’ Joe Kelly sees potential for more fun amid the grind The Dodgers’ lead exited in the fifth inning as well when Tatis got a high fastball from Flaherty and drove it deep into the left field pavilion for a solo home run. Flaherty struggled with his command and was done after throwing 100 pitches (only 59 strikes) to get through five innings. The game was still tied when Padres reliever Jeremiah Estrada walked Smith and Edman to start the sixth. Lux took a called third strike and Jackson Merrill made a diving catch in right-center to rob Andy Pages of an extra-base hit. That brought up Ohtani, who worked the count to 2-and-2 against lefty reliever Adrian Morejon then lashed a 108.6 mph single through the middle of the infield to drive in Smith with the go-ahead run. The Dodgers’ bullpen took the one-run lead and gingerly passed it from Alex Vesia to Evan Phillips to Blake Treinen and Michael Kopech. A two-out walk by Kopech in the ninth put the tying run in scoring position but he struck out Solano with a 101-mph fastball. More to come on this story.