In a display of postseason dominance, the Los Angeles Dodgers dispatched the Cincinnati Reds 8-4 on Wednesday night, completing a swift two-game sweep in the National League Wild Card Series. This victory, coming just a day after their 10-5 thumping in Game 1, propels the Dodgers into the NL Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. Indeed, the series felt almost too straightforward for a team loaded with talent like this.
Game 2 saw the Dodgers' offense roar back to life early. Teoscar Hernández continued his hot streak with a two-run homer in the first inning, setting the tone against Reds starter Nick Lodolo, who labored through just three innings, surrendering four runs. Shohei Ohtani added another blast later, his second of the series, while Mookie Betts chipped in with key hits to keep the pressure on. On the mound, Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivered a solid outing in relief, tossing four scoreless innings to close out the win and preserve the bullpen after Blake Snell's masterful Game 1 performance—seven innings, two runs allowed.
The Reds, however, couldn't muster much fight. Their bats showed flashes, like Elly De La Cruz's solo shot in the fourth, but the lineup stranded too many runners, going 2-for-10 with men in scoring position. Nick Martinez took the loss after a rough relief appearance, and the Cincinnati bullpen faltered late. It was a disappointing end to a gritty regular season push for the Reds, who entered the playoffs as the No. 6 seed with momentum from a late surge.
Manager Dave Roberts praised his team's focus postgame, noting how the home crowd at Dodger Stadium fueled the energy. Tickets for the NLDS opener against Philly are already in high demand, with the series set to begin Friday. Yet, as the Dodgers celebrate this step forward, questions linger about their pitching depth heading into a tougher matchup.
One can't help but wonder if this sweep is just the start of another deep run for Los Angeles, or if the playoffs will test their vulnerabilities soon enough.