{"id":103053,"date":"2025-10-05T09:37:19","date_gmt":"2025-10-05T09:37:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=103053"},"modified":"2025-10-05T09:37:39","modified_gmt":"2025-10-05T09:37:39","slug":"%f0%9f%92%a3hernandez-strikes-again-one-towering-blast-was-all-it-took-to-sink-philadelphia-and-the-phillies-october-hopes-took-a-massive-hit-under-the-lights-ll","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=103053","title":{"rendered":"\ud83d\udca3HERN\u00c1NDEZ STRIKES AGAIN: One towering blast was all it took to sink Philadelphia \u2014 and the Phillies\u2019 October hopes took a massive hit under the lights…ll"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

\"Hernandez's<\/p>\n

PHILADELPHIA — Teoscar Hernandez rallied the Dodgers with a three-run home run in the seventh inning that bailed out Shohei Ohtani, both on the mound and at the plate, and led Los Angeles to a 5-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of their National League division series on Saturday night.<\/p>\n

Ohtani struck out four consecutive times at the plate, the final time in the seventh with no outs and two runners on against Matt Strahm.<\/p>\n

No worries, at least for the reigning World Series champions.<\/p>\n

Following a Mookie Betts popout, Hernandez silenced a roaring Phillies crowd with an opposite-field drive to right off Strahm for a 5-3 lead. The veteran slugger gestured in wild celebration in his trot around the bases.<\/p>\n

His hat off, Ohtani rose from his dugout seat to join in the fun, and exhale once he was on track for the win.<\/p>\n

A three-time MVP, Ohtani recovered from a three-run second in his first career playoff pitching start to shut down the Phillies and finish with nine strikeouts over six innings.<\/p>\n

Alex Vesia retired pinch-hitter Edmundo Sosa with the bases loaded in the eighth to preserve the lead. Roki Sasaki worked the ninth for his first career save.<\/p>\n

Ohtani had admitted to nerves about playing in front of a crowd that voraciously tried to live up to its four hours of hell moniker — he was jeered as he stepped on the field during warmups — and he never found his footing at the plate.<\/p>\n

Ohtani walked in the ninth.<\/p>\n

Phillies starter Cristopher Sanchez struck out Ohtani three times, included a called strike three in the fifth inning that sent a towel-waving crowd into delirium.<\/p>\n

Sanchez was even fired up on that one, and punched his fist in the air as he left the mound.<\/p>\n

Ohtani is the first player to strike out four times as a batter and strike out nine batters as a pitcher in the same postseason game — in an exhilarating comeback for a Dodgers team riding high after thumping the Reds in two games in the wild-card series.<\/p>\n

Game 2 is Monday in Philadelphia.<\/p>\n

Sanchez was thrust into the ace role when Zack Wheeler was ruled out for the season in August with complications from a blood clot. Wheeler was in full uniform and received a roaring ovation in the pregame introductions.<\/p>\n

Sanchez pitched early like a No. 1 starter.<\/p>\n

He fanned Ohtani on three pitches to start the game and breezed through five scoreless innings.<\/p>\n

Kike Hernandez chased Sanchez in the sixth when he ripped a two-out, two-run double down the left-field line that made it 3-2. David Robertson retired pinch-hitter Max Muncy to end the threat.<\/p>\n

Robertson, the 40-year-old late-season pickup, allowed a single and hit Will Smith with a pitch to open the seventh before yielding to Strahm.<\/p>\n

While disaster struck late for the Phillies bullpen, Vesia saved Tyler Glasnow in the eighth. Glasnow, pitching out of the bullpen in a short series, loaded the bases before he got the hook. Vesia got Sosa, who hit three home runs in a game last month, to fly out to center field.<\/p>\n

The Phillies had only two hits after they scored three times in the third on J.T. Realmuto’s two-run triple and Harrison Bader’s sacrifice fly.<\/p>\n

\n

\"Hernandez\u2019s<\/p>\n

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Teoscar Hern\u00e1ndez reacts after hitting a three-run home run off of Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Matt Strahm during the seventh inning in Game 1 of baseball’s National League Division Series, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo\/Matt Rourke)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\"Hernandez\u2019s<\/p>\n

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Teoscar Hern\u00e1ndez, center, reacts with Will Smith, right, after hitting a three-run home run against Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Matt Strahm during the seventh inning in Game 1 of baseball’s National League Division Series, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo\/Matt Slocum)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\"Hernandez\u2019s<\/p>\n

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Teoscar Hern\u00e1ndez hits a three-run home run against Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Matt Strahm during the seventh inning in Game 1 of baseball’s National League Division Series, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo\/Matt Slocum)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\"Hernandez\u2019s<\/p>\n

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani pitches during the second inning in Game 1 of baseball’s National League Division Series against the against the Philadelphia Phillies Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo\/Matt Rourke)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\"Hernandez\u2019s<\/p>\n

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani pitches during the second inning in Game 1 of baseball’s National League Division Series against the against the Philadelphia Phillies Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo\/Matt Rourke)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\"Hernandez\u2019s<\/p>\n

Philadelphia Phillies’ Bryce Harper walks back to the dugout after striking out against Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani during the sixth inning in Game 1 of baseball’s National League Division Series, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo\/Matt Slocum)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\"Hernandez\u2019s<\/p>\n

Philadelphia Phillies’ Harrison Bader is hit by a pitch from Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani during the fifth inning in Game 1 of baseball’s National League Division Series, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo\/Matt Slocum)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

PHILADELPHIA — Teoscar Hernandez rallied the Dodgers with a three-run home run in the seventh inning that bailed out Shohei Ohtani, both on the mound and at the plate, and led Los Angeles to a 5-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of their National League division series on Saturday night.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":103054,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-103053","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\n\ud83d\udca3HERN\u00c1NDEZ STRIKES AGAIN: One towering blast was all it took to sink Philadelphia \u2014 and the Phillies\u2019 October hopes took a massive hit under the lights...ll - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=103053\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\ud83d\udca3HERN\u00c1NDEZ STRIKES AGAIN: One towering blast was all it took to sink Philadelphia \u2014 and the Phillies\u2019 October hopes took a massive hit under the lights...ll - 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