Game-1 of the 2025 National League Division Series between the NL West Division-winning Los Angeles Dodgers and the NL East Division-winning Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park in South Philadelphia on Saturday was one for the books – the record books.
The Dodgers thrilling 5-3 Game-1 win was the result of clutch hitting by the Hernándezes – Kiké and Teoscar (no relation).
a 3-2 nail biter. It also fired up the Dodgers dugout. (TBS)
“He (Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sánchez) actually made a really good pitch. I was able to stay inside that ball and keep it fair,” Kiké told MLB Network’s Lauren Shehadi postgame. “For us, it’s always a matter of time. It’s always a matter of getting it going. It seemed like we did at the right time,” the Dodgers third baseman added.
“Nothing special, I watched videos, he (Phillies left-hander Matt Strahm) likes to go up in the strike zone, I think that’s when he’s his strongest and, you know, something up in the strike zone,” the other Hernández answered when asked about the 91.8-mph four-seam fastball that he absolutely crushed. “Not trying to do over-swinging or anything like that, maybe a hit, something to bring one run, tie the game, but he left it over the strike zone.”
…and Teo left it over the wall.
Dodgers, which was the final score. (TBS)
But all that glitters is not gold, as they say. Prior to his NLDS Game-1 heroics, the soon-to-be (on October 15) 33-year-old Cotui, Dominican Republic native struck out swinging in each of his three previous at-bats, which Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was quick to dismiss postgame.
“Obviously, with the three strikeouts, and to come up with a huge hit to kind of keep that out of his mind was huge for us,” Roberts said postgame of Teoscar.
It would be criminal not to mention the outstanding job the Dodgers bullpen did in relief of starting right-hander Shohei Ohtani on Saturday. Although the popular 31-year-old Oshu, Japan allowed three runs on three hits in his 6.0 innings of work, he also struck out nine and walked only one of the 23 Phillies batters he faced.
filthy 77.9-mph curveball to end the bottom of the sixth inning. (TBS)
Ohtani was backed by a stellar performance from the Dodgers bullpen, which did not allow a run and only two hits in their combined 3.0 innings of relief.
Game-2 of the best-of-five series will also be at Citizens Bank Park on Monday, October 6, with first pitch scheduled for 3:08 p.m. PT. The game will again be carried on TBS television and AM 570 LA Sports Radio. Should Game-3 and/or Game-4 be necessary, they will be at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday and Thursday, October 8 and 9, at 6:08 and 3:08 p.m. PT respectively.
Play Ball!
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