Dodgers dominate Reds in Wild Card Series Opener, Powered by Ohtani and Hernández
LOS ANGELES – Shohei Ohtani and Teoscar Hernández each hit two home runs as the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Cincinnati Reds 5-2 in Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series on Tuesday. The Dodgers’ powerful offense, combined with a dominant pitching performance from Blake Snell, secured a commanding early lead in the best-of-three series.
The victory marked a strong start to the Dodgers’ postseason journey, as they aim to defend their National League title. Snell delivered a stellar outing, allowing only four hits and striking out nine over 91 pitches. He efficiently retired batters, utilizing a combination of fastballs, curveballs, and changeups, keeping the Reds’ offense largely in check. The Reds, who were previously no-hit by Snell while he pitched for the San Francisco giants last year, didn’t record their first hit until the third inning.
Hernández opened the scoring with a solo home run in the second inning and added another in the fifth against Reds reliever Connor Phillips. Ohtani followed suit in the sixth, launching a 454-foot home run, also off Phillips, extending the Dodgers’ lead to 5-0.
Cincinnati managed to break through in the seventh inning with a two-run rally sparked by a single from Austin Hays, but the Dodgers’ early offensive surge proved insurmountable. Despite a shaky eighth inning from the Dodgers’ bullpen, featuring multiple walks and a run scored, Jack Dreyer managed to limit the damage and secure the win.
The Dodgers’ bullpen struggles, however, raised concerns as they advance in the postseason. Blake Treinen also faced a late-game challenge,working around a single in the ninth. The Dodgers will look to close out the series in game 2 on Wednesday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles times)
