Saturday, October 4, 2025

Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2025

After a three-run second for the Philadelphia Phillies, the Los Angeles Dodgers fought back and won the first contest in the NLDS. Whew!

On a beautiful Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park, the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-to-3.

Shohei Ohtani was brilliant for six innings. A poor outfield play by both Teoscar Hernández and Andy Pages allowed the Phillies to score three runs in the second. However, Ohtani was never rattled. He allowed only three hits while he struck out nine. Ohtani’s control was pinpoint. Before the game, he admitted he was nervous starting his first postseason game. However, after the second inning, Ohtani looked calm and in control.

Before the sixth, the Dodgers looked overmatched by Christopher Sanchez. They couldn’t hit Sanchez’s changeup. The Dodgers looked like they couldn’t score.

However, Sanchez got tired in the sixth, and the Dodgers took advantage of it. After Freddie Freeman and Tommy Edman reached, Kiké Hernández, who is the modern-day Mr. October, hit a two-run double.

Andy Pages collected his first hit, a single, to lead off the seventh. Will Smith was hit by a pitch. Teoscar Hernández blasted a three-run homer to give the Dodgers the lead forever.

Tyler Glasnow was great in the seventh but got tired in the eighth after retiring two batters. He prevented the shaky relievers from coming into the game.

Alex Vesia came into the eighth with runners on first and third with two outs. He convinced Edmundo Sosa to fly out to end the threat. If Vesia has his confidence back, the Dodgers will be fine.

Roki Sasaki stared down the Phillies in the ninth. While he allowed a double, he was unfazed and retired three hitters, including a strikeout. For almost the entire 2025 season, the Dodgers didn’t have a reliable closer, but now, Sasaki is a dominating Dodger closer. He has been a key component for the Dodgers’ postseason success.