Sep 22, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) celebrates on a recreation tying solo house run throughout the ninth inning in opposition to the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Obligatory Credit score: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Photos Because the Los Angeles Dodgers shut in on their eleventh Nationwide League West title in 12 seasons, they carry with them a seemingly unstoppable pressure not with them the final 10 occasions they received the division.
Shohei Ohtani’s offensive recreation is in full glory forward of the Dodgers’ key three-game sequence in opposition to the visiting San Diego Padres beginning Tuesday.
Ohtani’s unmatched 50-50 season is one factor. His one-day wrecking ball of a recreation final week at Miami, when he had six hits, three house runs, two steals and 10 RBIs, has its personal legendary standing. However it was simply a part of a wildly historic week.
Over his final seven video games, Ohtani batted .500 (16-for-32) with six house runs, seven stolen bases, 11 runs, 17 RBIs and a 1.668 OPS. No participant has ever had six house runs and 7 steals in a seven-game span.
The one-week run ended Sunday with 4 extra hits, two stolen bases and a game-tying house run to guide off the ninth inning. Three pitches later, Mookie Betts gave the Dodgers a 6-5 victory over the Colorado Rockies with a house run of his personal.
“To start out that ninth inning with Shohei persevering with to do what he does, he simply would not appear human proper now,” Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned. “I actually have not seen a participant as locked (in) like Shohei is, for so long as he is been, in fairly a while.”
The Dodgers (93-63) have a magic variety of 4 to complete off the second-place Padres for the division title.
The Dodgers will ship right-handed rookie Landon Knack (3-4, 3.39 ERA) to the mound within the sequence opener after he pitched 5 scoreless innings in a win over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday. Knack shall be going through the Padres for the primary time.
The Padres have executed all they will to catch the Dodgers within the standings however are working out of time. They appeared to have the deficit down to 2 video games on Sunday earlier than Ohtani’s and Betts’ heroics.
San Diego is on a four-game successful streak after sweeping the lowly Chicago White Sox at house and have received eight of their final 9, a run that has gained them solely two video games within the standings.
San Diego (90-66) has received 90 video games for the primary time since 2010, and its magic quantity for clinching a playoff spot is down to 1.
The Padres scored three runs within the eighth inning in Sunday’s 4-2 victory over the White Sox, capping the scoring burst on a house run from Fernando Tatis Jr., his twentieth of the season.
“We have got a extremely good staff right here, and we’ll proceed doing what we have been doing all yr,” mentioned Padres third baseman, and former Dodger, Manny Machado. “Nothing’s going to vary. Go on the market, play some good baseball, end out the yr proper.”
The Padres are anticipated to ship right-hander Michael King (12-9, 3.04) to the mound on Tuesday. King is 1-0 with a 3.63 ERA lifetime in opposition to the Dodgers in 4 appearances (two begins).
King has confronted Los Angeles thrice (two begins) this season and has a 4.11 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 15 1/3 innings, however has allowed 5 house runs. Ohtani has three lifetime house runs in opposition to King and Betts has two.
–Subject Degree Media
