In a swift and unforgiving end to their postseason hopes, the Cincinnati Reds fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-2 in Game 2 of the National League Wild Card Series on Wednesday night. The loss, coming just a day after a 10-5 defeat in the opener, completed a disheartening sweep that sends Terry Francona's young squad packing early once again. Indeed, the Dodgers now advance to face the Philadelphia Phillies in the Division Series, their momentum building like a well-oiled machine.
Francona, in his first year steering the Reds, watched helplessly as Yoshinobu Yamamoto dominated from the mound for Los Angeles. The Japanese ace tossed 6 2/3 innings, allowing no earned runs and just two hits, his curveball leaving Cincinnati's hitters grasping at shadows. The Reds managed only seven hits total, a far cry from the fireworks they hoped to unleash in this do-or-die matchup. Elly De La Cruz, the electric shortstop who's been a sparkplug all season, went 1-for-4 with a single but couldn't ignite the comeback his speed usually promises. His baserunning flair, so mesmerizing in the regular season, felt muted against the Dodgers' sharp defense.
However, the Dodgers' offense didn't let up. Teoscar Hernández crushed a two-run homer in the third, and Shohei Ohtani added to his legend with another long ball, his second of the series. Blake Snell's strong start in Game 1 set the tone, but it was Yamamoto's poise that sealed the deal. For the Reds, who clawed their way into the playoffs with a gritty September surge, this elimination stings particularly. Francona, ever the veteran, praised his team's fight postgame, yet the scoreboard tells a harsher tale: outscored 17-7 over two games, their "cockroach" resilience finally crushed.
Moreover, questions linger about the Reds' pitching depth, exposed against LA's relentless bats. De La Cruz's raw talent dazzles, but in high-stakes moments like these, experience gaps showed. Still, Francona's steady hand might just build something fiercer for 2026. One wonders if this early exit will fuel a deeper run next fall, or merely echo past disappointments in Cincinnati.