Dodgers Notes: Shohei Ohtani reaches intensity in first playoff game

LOS ANGELES – The Dodgers won Game 1 of the NLDS thanks to several key contributions, such as five relievers who combined to pitch six scoreless innings and Teoscar Hernández, who pitched the go-ahead pitch. But understandably, people were still raving about Shohei Ohtani after the game.

In his first MLB In postseason play, Ohtani hit a three-run home run in the second inning that erased an early deficit and set the stage for a strong night on offense. The noise from the crowd also made Dodger Stadium seem like the epicenter of an earthquake.

“I could really feel the intensity of the stadium before the game started and I really enjoyed it,” Ohtani said after the game through interpreter Will Ireton.

“Shohei is Shohei,” Hernández said. “He’s the guy who’s going to lead us and we’re going to follow him.”

Ohtani’s home run came with two bases, and his broken-bat single in the fourth loaded the bases. He also struck out in the eighth inning with Tommy Edman on second base after a steal. His 2-for-3 performance with runners in scoring position gave Ohtani 14 hits in his last 17 at-bats with six homers, two doubles and a walk in those situations dating back to September 19th.

“It was crazy how good he was with runners in scoring position,” manager Dave Roberts said. “The key is to take advantage of those opportunities because yeah, when he gets those opportunities, you feel like he’s going to take them.”

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The Athletic’s Grant Brisbee and Kaitlyn McGrath co-wrote a recap of Saturday’s four MLB playoff games, and of Ohtani’s second-inning home run they said: “Everyone in the stadium was thinking about a home run, and he undoubtedly hit it that hard.” , that he could have thrown his bat away with a higher exit velocity than the ball.”

Jim Alexander of the Orange County Register was impressed with Ohtani.

“Ohtani was already an incredible bargain thanks to all the deferred money in his $700 million deal,” he wrote. “If he can truly get this club where he wants to go, this could be considered the greatest bargain in free agency history.”

For a Game 1, it was a Game 7, fought over nine innings and cheered by more than 53,000 bouncing fans as if it were the last piece of baseball on Earth,” wrote Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times. “Wait, the Dodgers are going to play more games like this?