Ohtani Shines as Dodgers and Guardians Light Up Wild Card Drama
The MLB postseason opened with fireworks, and few moments were bigger than what unfolded in Los Angeles and Cleveland. Fans who tuned in were treated to a night of clutch swings, historic performances, and the kind of October drama that keeps baseball at the center of the sports world.
In Dodger Stadium, Shohei Ohtani wasted no time making his presence felt. The two-time MVP and one of the game’s most electrifying stars stepped up against Cincinnati’s Hunter Greene in the very first inning. Greene fired a 100.4 mph fastball, but Ohtani met it head-on, blasting it deep into right field. That swing set not only the tone for the Dodgers’ offense, but also a new personal mark for Ohtani—it was the fastest pitch he has ever turned into a home run. The crowd roared as Statcast confirmed it had left the bat at nearly 118 mph, ranking among the hardest-hit postseason home runs in recorded history.
And he wasn’t done. In the sixth inning, Ohtani crushed another ball, this time a towering two-run shot to right-center that traveled 454 feet. That swing set a Dodgers franchise record for the longest postseason home run. His two blasts bookended a night where teammates Teoscar Hernández added two more homers and Tommy Edman chipped in with one of his own, powering the Dodgers to a 10-5 victory over the Reds.
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Ohtani, who hit a career-high 55 home runs in the regular season, reminded fans that his bat alone is enough to change a series. While questions swirl about whether he could pitch later in the postseason following elbow surgery, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts played it cautiously, suggesting it was unlikely in this series. Still, Ohtani said he is prepared if called upon.
Meanwhile, in Cleveland, the Guardians proved once again why they should never be counted out. Facing elimination in Game 2 against Detroit, the night looked bleak through seven innings. Aside from George Valera’s first-inning homer and a scattered single, Cleveland’s bats had been nearly silent. Detroit’s Tarik Skubal had stifled them early, striking out 14 in a record-setting outing the day before.
But the Guardians saved their magic for the eighth inning. With one swing, Brayan Rocchio cracked the tension wide open, launching a go-ahead home run into the seats. What followed was an offensive avalanche—back-to-back doubles by Steven Kwan and Daniel Schneemann, then a towering three-run shot by catcher Bo Naylor that sent Progressive Field into chaos. In all, five runs crossed the plate, and the Guardians stormed to a 6-1 win to force a decisive Game 3.
For Cleveland, the moment carried echoes of their improbable September comeback when they erased a massive deficit to win the AL Central. Manager Stephen Vogt praised the resilience of his team, noting that even when down late, the Guardians’ mindset is always to keep pressing until the final out.
Now, the stage is set. The Dodgers, behind Ohtani’s thunderous bat, look every bit the contender they were expected to be. The Guardians, fueled by grit and late-inning heroics, will play once more with everything on the line. October has only just begun, but already, the postseason is delivering unforgettable moments.
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