In a matchup that kept fans on the edge of their seats, the Los Angeles Dodgers managed to squeeze out a narrow victory over the Cincinnati Reds in Game 2 of the NL Wild Card series on Wednesday night. The final score sat at 4-3, with the Dodgers advancing to the Division Series after their earlier dominance in Game 1. Zack Littell, the Reds' starting pitcher, put up a gritty performance, but it wasn't quite enough to turn the tide against the powerhouse lineup from LA.
Littell, who has been a steady force for Cincinnati this season with a 3.72 ERA over 32 starts, toed the rubber with postseason experience under his belt—ironically from a prior stint against these very Dodgers. He lasted five innings, surrendering three runs on six hits, including a crucial two-run homer to Shohei Ohtani in the fourth that seemed to deflate the Reds' hopes. Indeed, Ohtani's blast was the turning point, pushing the Dodgers ahead and silencing the Dodger Stadium crowd momentarily before they erupted in approval.
However, the Reds fought back valiantly. Elly De La Cruz sparked a late rally with a leadoff double in the seventh, scoring on a sacrifice fly to make it a one-run game. But Blake Snell, relieving for the Dodgers in a bullpen move that raised eyebrows, shut the door with two scoreless innings, striking out three and earning the save. Snell's addition to the Dodgers' staff midseason has clearly paid off, though his 3.12 ERA masks some inconsistencies against lefty-heavy lineups like Cincinnati's.
Moreover, the game highlighted broader playoff tensions. The Dodgers, fresh off a 10-5 rout in Game 1 where their bats exploded for 15 hits, showed resilience despite the closer contest. For the Reds, this loss stings, especially after Littell's solid regular-season stats—164 strikeouts in 185 innings—that suggested they could compete. Yet, against LA's depth, it felt like an uphill battle from the start.
Game 2 drew massive viewership, airing on ESPN and available via streaming on MLB.tv, with many tuning in from both coasts. As the Dodgers now gear up for the NLDS, potentially facing Philadelphia, one can't help but wonder if this series exposed vulnerabilities in Cincinnati's young core or merely affirmed LA's status as favorites.