Ronald Acuña Jr. and Shohei Ohtani Combine for World Baseball Classic history

Team Venezuela and Samurai Japan played an exciting World Baseball Classic quarterfinal game at loanDepot Park on Saturday, which saw Ronald Acuña Jr. and Shohei Ohtani combine for history.

Acuña electrified the crowd by sending the second pitch he saw from Yoshinobu Yamamoto--a 96.5 mph fastball--over the fence in right-center field. Ohtani immediately responded in the bottom half of the first inning by clubbing his own leadoff homer out to right-center.

Acuña's blast had a 106.2 mph exit velocity and traveled 401 feet. Ohtani's home run was hit with a 113.6 mph exit velocity and went 427 feet.

They represented the 13th and 14th leadoff home runs in World Baseball Classic history. But it was first time in the tournament's 20-year history that two leadoff homers were hit in the same game.

According to Elias Sports Bureau, it would have represented a first in the regular season and playoffs as well as no game in MLB history has included leadoff home runs by two MVP winners.

Ohtani already was part of World Baseball Classic history with all of the reigning MVP and Cy Young Award winners playing in the tournament this year.

Ohtani, who won a fourth career MVP Award last season, combined with Aaron Judge, Paul Skenes, Tarik Skubal for the WBC first.

Shohei Ohtani's history at loanDepot Park

Ohtani hitting a home run in the WBC quarterfinal arguably could have been predicted not just because of his talent, but also long line of success at the Miami Marlins' home stadium.

In 2024, Ohtani established the 50-50 club behind a remarkable performance at loanDepot Park. He achieved the feat by going 6-for-6 with a career-high three home runs and 10 RBI, and added two stolen bases.

The year prior, he dazzled in a two-way role for Team Japan to help them win the 2023 World Baseball Classic. It memorably included Ohtani closing out the gold medal game by entering in relief.

"This is the place I have very good memories," Ohtani said through an interpreter during Japan's workout day in Miami. "Of course, I'm not going to bring memories to the next game, but I think there is a very positive influence to myself. But this is a very beautiful stadium and the good weather."

Over eight career regular season games at loanDepot Park, Ohtani has hit .382..475/1.059 with three doubles, one triple, six home runs, 18 RBI and six stolen bases. That's despite going 1-for-7 over two games there while with the Angels in 2022.

Unfortunately, Ohtani will need to wait for the regular season in order to add onto those memories in Miami due to Japan getting eliminated from the WBC by Venezuela.