The Los Angeles Dodgers won the first game of their Wild Card Series against the Cincinnati Reds, letting the entire baseball world know who the defending champions are.
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A dominant 10-5 win on Tuesday night started off with a bang (literally) as superstar Shohei Ohtani demolished the third pitch he saw 117.7 mph off his bat to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead. The 100.4 mph offering from Reds right-hander Hunter Greene was no match for the three-time (and soon-to-be four-time) MVP.
The fireworks continued as Teoscar Hernández launched a three-run shot in the bottom of the third inning to increase the lead to four. Utility star Tommy Edman kept the party going with a solo shot of his own later that same inning.
Hernández once again went yard, smashing a solo shot in the bottom of the fifth inning to make the score 6-0.
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Before the sixth inning was over, Ohtani once again hammered a ball deep, this one a two-run home run to further extend the Dodgers lead. This time, the ball travelled 454 feet at 113.5 mph to make the score, 8-0, and to tie a Dodgers franchise record for home runs in a postseason game.
Two-time Cy Young award winner punched out nine over seven innings of work. He allowed just four hits, one walk, and two earned runs on the way to his impressive outing.
During the bottom of the inning, an Alex Call single and a throwing error got Miguel Rojas home to further the lead, and with a Ben Rortvedt RBI single to bring him home, LA entered the eighth inning up 10-2.
Things got dicey in the eighth, as Alex Vesia struggled and the Reds then scored after Edgardo Henriquez walked in a batter with the bases loaded. Then, an RBI single shrunk the lead to 10-4.
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The eighth inning seemed to last forever as star shortstop Elly De La Cruz was also walked with the bases loaded making the score 10-5. However, Jack Dreyer was able to get out of the game, and Blake Treinen pitched a shutdown ninth to close things out.
Photo Credit: The Enquirer/Frank Bowen IV / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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9 Responses
Tell me it wasn’t as bad as it looked. The ever smiling Snell was dynamite for the first 6 before tiring or them getting used to him in the 7th. Still an excellent outing. Then Vesia comes in, the only guy in the ‘pen that seems dependable, to me at least. He can’t get the ball over the plate and it just gets worse from there. Then Blake Treinen who has been struggling big time comes in for the 9th. I was about to scream, but to his credit he was solid and we got the win. Breathe, breathe, breathe.
Ok, I’m better now. I think. How can a 10-5 game be that stressful? Maybe 10-5 with the bases loaded and them on a roll? Glad I’m not a betting man, I couldn’t stand to bet against them, but to bet on them after tonight’s bullpen struggles would be foolhardy. I’ve got my fingers crossed, but zero confidence. Oh sure, they might squeak out this series, but I don’t even see them winning the league championship to get to the WS, let alone the WS itself.
Agreed! some of the shots of the crowd on the broadcast would have you thinking it was 1-1 in the bottom of the ninth! these kinds of bullpen performances aren’t going to win the world series, but these kinds of outings from Snell and the explosion from the offense certainly will! Let’s end it tonight.
First of all let me say that I am proud of My Boys In Blue. Let’s get the job done tonight so we can rest up for the Phillies series. The Phils are having a banner year. They need to wake up up from the dream they’re having and I can’t think of a better team than the Dodgers to put a rude awakening on their dream. So let’s go D-O-D-G-E-R-S.
I love this team, Wayne! But that kind of bullpen performance will NOT be tolerated against the Phillies. The relievers need to take some notes on the kind of dominance that the starters have been showing this month
The Dodgers’ offense proved why they are a potential threat to the rest of the league and a contender to repeat. That said, their BP showed exactly why they in all likelihood, will not repeat. an 8-0 lead after 6 should not turn into a stressful, hold on to your seats 10-5 win. The usually reliable Vesia didn’t have it. Maybe 8 – 2 was too big a lead for him and he couldn’t focus? I’m not even sure why he was pitching in what would be considered a low leverage situation. That’s honestly inexplicable and no reason for Roberts to give the Reds at bats against him. Henriquez was equally, if not more, awful. One out between them in the 8th inning. A timely hit with the bases loaded and that could have been disastrous. Thankfully Dreyer bailed them out.
Every single team left in the playoffs watched that and if they weren’t sure before, they now have no doubts about the Dodgers’ vulnerability. Their mantra will be long at bats to wear out the starters and get to the BP. Last year, the pen made the difference and was central to winning it all. This year, not a chance of that happening again. Every team knows this.
Better hope the offense stays hot and scores a lot. Our bullpen will be our downfall if games are close in the later innings.
The only thing I can say is thank the baseball gods we have Glasnow, Sheehan, and Sasaki in the bullpen, hopefully in long relief and finishing the games because the rest of the bullpen showed last night how they are still the team’s huge Achilles Heel. How can a huge lead become so stressful? Just ask Vesia, Henriquez, and even Dreyer. I was about to cry when Treinen came in but, to his credit, he looked like the Treinen of old with those wiffle balls hitting the strike zone – that was the silver lining in last night’s bullpen and let’s hope he’s finally found his groove.
There is no way that a 10-2 lead going into the eighth is going to happen every POSTSEASON game for the Dodgers. The bullpen has to step things up because that 59-pitch inning from those three was unacceptable. Im excited to see Glasnow, Emmet, and Roki coming out of the pen, though!
If Treinen doesn’t come through, in all likelihood, the dodgers lose the game. If he’s re-found his arm throwing position, including his release point, they have a closer available. But, they can risk fatigue with him. And Duck Dodger doesn’t seem to display a lot of successful strategic qualities. Given the inconsistencies with the bullpen, it would be better if they had some more options other than bringing in starters to relieve. Hang on to your seats. We may be in for a rough ride.