Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez Power Los Angeles Dodgers To Important Game 1 Win Over the Cincinnati Reds
Shohei Ohtani and Teoscar Hernandez each homered twice as the Los Angeles Dodgers hammered the Cincinnati Reds 10-5 in Game 1 of their NL Wild Card series. Tommy Edman also homered in the game. Blake Snell threw seven strong innings for L.A., but the Reds scored five late runs to make a game of it.
Ohtani Starts Home Run Barrage Early
Ohtani got the scoring started with a leadoff home run to right field in the bottom of the first. The Dodgers struck again in the third inning. Hernandez hit a three-run homer to left, and two pitches later, Edman went deep to right for a solo shot. Hernandez added a solo shot to right field with two outs in the fifth inning to make it 6-0. Not to be outdone, Ohtani hit his second homer an inning later, bringing home Enrique Hernandez, to make it 8-0. Ohtani’s second blast nearly left the stadium in deep right-center.
Cincinnati Offense Wakes Up
After Snell had shut out the Reds through the first six innings, Cincinnati finally came alive in the top of the seventh. With one out, Austin Hays and Spencer Steer hit back-to-back singles. With runners in first and third, Elly De La Cruz hit a double play grounder to shortstop. De La Cruz was able to beat the relay throw to first base, allowing Hays to score from third base. The next batter, Catcher Tyler Stephenson, rifled a double into the left field corner. De La Cruz’s speed paid off again, as the young shortstop scored all the way from first base without a play, to make it 8-2.
The Dodgers came right back in the bottom of the inning. With Miguel Rojas on first, Alex Call hit for Hernandez, who left the game with tightness in his back. Call hit a bloop single in front of Reds’ right fielder Noelvi Marte. Marte tried to throw out Rojas at third, but the ball sailed out of play. Rojas was awarded home, and Call, who took second on the throw, was awarded third. Dodgers Catcher Ben Rortvedt hit the next pitch to left center for an RBI double to bring the score to 10-2.
Cincinnati would not give up, though. With Snell out of the game after seven innings of two-run ball and nine strikeouts, the Reds were able to do some damage against L.A.’s bullpen in the eighth. Sal Stewart drew a bases-loaded walk before Steer drove home another run with a single to shallow center. De La Cruz followed that by working another bases-loaded walk to bring the score to 10-5.
Dodgers Close It Out
After using three pitchers to get through the eighth, the Dodgers would only need one to get through the ninth. Veteran right-hander Blake Treinen gave up a two-out infield single to pinch-hitter Gavin Lux, but was able to close out the Reds to secure the win. Starter Hunter Greene took the loss for the Reds, surviving just three innings while giving up five runs on six hits (3 HR) and two walks. He struck out four. Snell picked up the win for L.A.
Game Two
The Dodgers will host Game 2 of this NL Wild Card series on Wednesday at 8:08 p.m. CST. They are scheduled to send righty Yoshinobu Yamamoto (12-8, 2.49 ERA, 201 Ks) to the mound. Cincinnati will counter with righty deadline acquisition Zack Littell (10-8, 3.81 ERA, 130 Ks).
