The Los Angeles Dodgers’ victory over the San Diego Padres in the National League Division Series opener on Saturday was significant because it showcased their resilience and determination after being on the ropes early. The win boosted team morale and served as a crucial confidence builder, setting a strong tone for the remainder of the series. With the stakes high, the Dodgers demonstrated their ability to perform under pressure, making it one of their most memorable wins in recent seasons.
Looking ahead to Game 2, Jack Flaherty‘s performance is vital for the Dodgers. After using six pitchers in the opener, the team needs Flaherty to pitch deep into the game to conserve their bullpen for the rest of the series. His ability to deliver quality innings would alleviate pressure on the pitching staff and allow the Dodgers to maintain momentum against a formidable Padres lineup that finished first in the MLB in team batting average during the regular season.
In Game 1, the Dodgers triumphed with a 7-5 victory loaded with a plethora of first-inning mistakes followed by some clutch offense. After falling behind 3-0 early due to a shaky start from Yoshinobu Yamamoto and an early Manny Machado home run, the Dodgers rallied with a game-changing three-run blast from Shohei Ohtani in the second inning.
“I just really have never seen a guy in the biggest of moments come through as consistently as he has,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said in the postgame. “I wish a lot of other players had that ability. He’s just very unique in that.”
Although the Padres briefly regained the lead in the third inning, the Dodgers responded with three runs in the fourth and another in the fifth, ultimately securing the win. Teoscar Hernandez’s clutch two-out single to right in the fourth scored Ohtani and Mookie Betts, putting the Dodgers ahead for good.
While the offense drew a lot of the attention, it was the Los Angeles bullpen that was crucial, providing six shutout innings from five relievers and allowing just two hits while striking out seven.
This strong relief effort overcame challenges like four walks in the final two innings and a bases-loaded situation in the eighth. It also saved Yamamoto from getting tagged with the loss in his MLB postseason debut.
Despite his control being just a tad shaky at times, Blake Treinen put an exclamation point on the night, earning the save with 1-2/3 innings of work. More importantly, Treinen bailed out a wild Michael Kopech in the eighth, who left the game with runners on first and second with only one out.
Although anything can happen in what promises to be an action-packed series, the current odds seem to be on the Dodgers’ side — at least for now. In best-of-five postseason series in MLB history, the team that won Game 1 has gone on to take the series 109 of 152 times (72%). In Division Series under the current 2-2-1 format, teams winning Game 1 at home have advanced 37 of 51 times (73%).
First pitch for Game 2 at Dodger Stadium on Sunday is scheduled for 5:03 p.m. Los Angeles time.