LOS ANGELES – Shohei Ohtani began his 50-50 chase in earnest Saturday although it came with far less heroics.

Ohtani hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the fifth inning, but the Tampa Bay Rays rallied for a 9-8 victory in 10 innings behind a pair of home runs in the late innings.

Tampa Bays’ Jose Caballero hit a go-ahead home run in the 10th inning off Joe Kelly (1-1) to follow Junior Caminero’s game-tying solo shot in the ninth against Evan Phillips, who was unable to protect a one-run lead.

The Rays even scored a run against right-hander Michael Kopech, who allowed a run for the first time in 11 outings with the Dodgers. A sacrifice fly from Yandy Diaz in the eighth against Kopech pulled the Rays within a run at 8-7.

The loss meant the Arizona Diamondbacks moved to within three games in the National League West chase, while the San Diego Padres remained 4 1/2 games back after pulling to within two games last weekend.

Teoscar Hernandez and Miguel Rojas also hit home runs as the Dodgers’ offense came to the rescue of Clayton Kershaw in the middle innings. Kershaw was not sharp early in his sixth start of the season following offseason shoulder surgery.

The left-hander gave up four runs in the first inning of an outing that looked more like last season’s playoff disappointment when he was hit hard in the first inning by the Diamondbacks. But Kershaw rallied back to give up just one more run over his final four innings of work.

The veteran left-hander gave up five runs on nine hits over five innings with two walks and five strikeouts.

The 4-0 first-inning deficit was whittled to a run in the fourth inning when Mookie Betts had an RBI double to score Ohtani from first base following a catcher’s interference call. Freddie Freeman flew out and Betts appeared to get thrown out at third base while trying to tag up.

On replay, Betts was ruled safe at third and on the next pitch, Hernandez hit a two-run home run to left-center that brought the Dodgers to within 4-3. It was Hernandez’s 27 th of the season.

The Rays moved in front 5-3 in the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly from Josh Lowe before the Dodgers went back to work.

Max Muncy, back in the lineup after getting a rest Friday, doubled to lead off the fifth inning and moved to third on a Tommy Edman ground out. Miguel Rojas had an RBI single to cut the lead to 5-4 and Ohtani followed with a home run into the right-field corner.

Ohtani’s 41st home run leaves him 32 games to reach his first career 50-homer season.