PHILADELPHIA — Come on, wasn’t it supposed to be the Los Angeles Dodgers who had a brutal bullpen, always just a reliever away from a meltdown?
Wasn’t the Dodgers’ bullpen such a mess that manager Dave Roberts didn’t know who he could trust in the ninth inning – much less any inning?
Well, here they were Saturday night, letting everyone know that their glaring weakness could suddenly turn into a strength, coming back to stun the Philadelphia Phillies, 5-3, in Game 1 of the National League Division Series.
“I think he’s underrated,’ said Andrew Friedman, Dodgers president of baseball operations. “I just don’t think the human brain can comprehend what he does, and how difficult it is, and how elite he is at both. And the passion he has for hitting and the passion he has for pitching. It doesn’t seem like there’s enough passion to go around. But there is with him.’
Yet, the most stunning development of all was after Ohtani departed, with the Dodgers leading 5-3 on Teoscar Hernandez’s two-out, three-run homer in the top of the seventh, was the Dodgers’ bullpen.
It was starter Tyler Glasnow coming out of the bullpen for the first time since 2018 in the seventh inning, pitching a 1-2-3 inning, and then coming out in the eighth before running into trouble, loading the bases.
Roberts summoned left-handed reliever Alex Vesia, and Phillies manager Rob Thomson countered with right-hander Edmundo Sosa. No problem. Vesia induced a routine fly ball to center field, and the Dodgers escaped.
In the ninth, the Dodgers turned to 23-year-old rookie Rōki Sasaki, and he slammed the door on the Phillies, silencing the crowd of 45,777 at Citizens Bank Park.
Just like that, the Dodgers have taken command of this best-of-five series, taking back the home-field advantage with Game 2 on Monday before returning to Los Angeles.
But while the Dodgers’ bullpen saved the day, Ohtani still was the headliner.
Who knew that he’d actually take the occasion to hit like a pitcher?
Ohtani came to the plate five times. He struck out four times, before drawing a walk in the ninth inning .
It was only the seventh time in his career that he has struck out four times in a game, and the second time he has struck out in four consecutive plate appearances.
With the exception of the Phillies’ three-run inning, Ohtani was superb on the mound, giving up just one hit to the final 17 batters he faced.
“It wasn’t just about pitching for him,’ Friedman said. “It was about pitching really well. So, nothing surprises me anymore, but yet everything still surprises me. He’s just one of a kind. …
“I’m glad last year he got to experience the adrenaline of October, with just hitting, and now this year we get to layer both on. I think in some weird way it’s actually beneficial.’
Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale
Here’s how Game 1 unfolded on Saturday:
Phillies strand bases loaded in eighth
Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the eighth, getting pulled in favor of lefty Alex Vesia. Edmundo Sosa pinch-hit for Brandon Marsh and flied out to center field, sending the game to the ninth with the Dodgers up 5-3.
Teoscar Hernandez home run stuns Phillies, Dodgers up 5-3
Teoscar Hernandez atoned for his earlier defensive error with a three-run homer off Phillies lefty Matt Strahm in the top of the seventh inning, giving the Dodgers their first lead of the night at 5-3.
Shohei Ohtani golden sombrero!
The Dodgers’ two-way superstar has been dynamite on the mound but is having a rough night at the plate, striking out in the seventh inning, his fourth of the game – and third looking.
Dodgers get two in the sixth
Cristopher Sanchez was an out away from finishing a sixth shutout inning, but he walked Freddie Freeman and gave up a single to Tommy Edman. Enrique Hernandez hit a two-run double down the left field line to make it 3-2. Dave Robertson relieved Sanchez and he got Max Muncy to ground out and strand the tying run.
Harrison Bader makes unbelievable catch
With a runner on first and nobody out in the top of the fifth, Phillies center field Harrison Bader laid out to make a diving catch and take a base hit away from Andy Pages.
Dodgers All-Star catcher Will Smith entered the game as a pinch-hitter for Ben Rortvedt, his first action in nearly a month as he dealt with a hairline fracture in his hand.
Phillies starter Cristopher Sanchez struck out Shohei Ohtani for the third time in the game to end the fifth.
Phillies lead 3-0 through four
Cristoper Sanchez is cruising for the Phillies, giving up just one hit with five strikeouts through four scoreless frames. Shohei Ohtani has settled in after getting tagged for three runs in the second inning and also has five strikeouts heading into the fifth inning.
J.T. Realmuto triple puts Phillies in front
Shohei Ohtani issued a leadoff walk to Alec Bohm followed by a two-strike single by Brandon Marsh in the bottom of the second. J.T. Realmuto followed with a hit to right-center, getting past Teoscar Hernandez to roll all the way to the wall. Realmuto slid into third with a two-run triple, staking the Phillies to an early lead.
Harrison Bader added a sacrifice fly to the left field wall, bringing in Realmuto to make it 3-0.
Phillies work out of second-inning jam
Phillies lefty Cristopher Sanchez worked around a single and a walk to struck out Andy Pages with runners on first and second to end the top of the second inning.
Cristopher Sanchez dominates in first inning
Left-hander Cristopher Sanchez set the Dodgers down in order to start Game 1, striking out Shohei Ohtani and Teoscar Hernandez in the process.
Dodgers lineup today
- Shohei Ohtani (L) P
- Mookie Betts (R) SS
- Teoscar Hernández (R) RF
- Freddie Freeman (L) 1B
- Tommy Edman (S) 2B
- Enrique Hernández (R) 3B
- Alex Call (R) LF
- Andy Pages (R) CF
- Ben Rortvedt (L) C
Phillies lineup today
- Trea Turner (R) SS
- Kyle Schwarber (L) DH
- Bryce Harper (L) 1B
- Alec Bohm (R) 3B
- Brandon Marsh (L) LF
- J.T. Realmuto (R) C
- Max Kepler (L) RF
- Harrison Bader (R) CF
- Bryson Stott (L) 2B
Dodgers roster for NLDS
- Catchers: Ben Rortvedt, Dalton Rushing, Will Smith
- Infielders: Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy, Miguel Rojas
- Outfielders: Alex Call, Justin Dean, Teoscar Hernandez, Andy Pages
- Utility: Tommy Edman, Enrique Hernandez, Hyeseong Kim
- DH/pitcher: Shohei Ohtani
- Left-handed pitchers: Anthony Banda, Jack Dreyer, Clayton Kershaw, Blake Snell, Tanner Scott, Alex Vesia
- RHP: Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki, Emmet Sheehan, Blake Treinen, Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Phillies playoff roster
- Catchers: Rafael Marchan, J.T. Realmuto
- Infielders: Alec Bohm, Bryce Harper, Otto Kemp, Edmundo Sosa, Bryson Stott, Trea Turner
- Outfielders: Harrison Bader, Nick Castellanos, Max Kepler, Brandon Marsh, Weston Wilson
- Designated hitter: Kyle Schwarber
- Left-handed pitchers: Tanner Banks, Jesus Luzardo, Tim Mayza, Cristopher Sanchez, Matt Strahm, Ranger Suarez
- RHP: Walker Buehler, Jhoan Duran, Orion Kerkering, Aaron Nola, David Robertson, Taijuan Walker