Sports Al Dente

The Cleveland Guardians were aware of what to expect in Game 3, but it didn’t change the outcome. The pitching strategy for the Detroit Tigers is working well right now.

Detroit used six pitchers to shut out Cleveland for the second game in a row, winning 3-0 on Wednesday and taking a 2-1 lead in their AL Division Series.

“We were ready for all of it,” said Guardians manager Stephen Vogt. “We took our chances when we could to score runs, made some attempts, but just didn’t succeed.”

The Tigers started with Keider Montero, who retired the aggressive Guardians without any hits in the first inning, throwing five strikes and one ball.

“We know he’s aggressive early in the zone,” Vogt said. “I won’t question our players’ actions. They handle their at-bats individually, and they are professionals.”

Montero’s six pitches were the fewest thrown by a starting pitcher in the playoffs since Wade Miley had a five-pitch outing for Milwaukee against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2018 National League Championship Series.

While Miley was taken out after giving up a walk, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch continued his successful strategy of relying on the bullpen, a tactic he started using more after the trade deadline.

“It’s not scripted because there are so many factors at play,” he explained.

Hinch brought in rookie left-hander Brant Hurter for a part of the lineup that was mostly left-handed in the second inning. Josh Naylor and Lane Thomas got singles to start the inning, and Andrés Giménez flew out to left.

Vogt then had left-handed Jhonkensy Noel hit in place of Will Brennan, who bats right. Noel flew out to center, moving Naylor to third base, but Bo Naylor lined out to right, ending the inning.

“We kind of expected that was their plan,” Vogt said.

The Guardians left eight runners on base and went 0 for 8 when they had chances to score. They haven’t scored since the sixth inning of their 7-0 victory in Game 1 against Detroit.

Cleveland has a chance to bring the AL Division Series back home with a win on Thursday night. Manager Stephen Vogt said Tanner Bibee will start Game 4 for the AL Central champions.

The Tigers are trying to reach the American League Championship Series for the first time since 2013.

This is the Guardians’ fifth playoff appearance in eight years, but they haven’t moved past a division series since their run to the 2016 World Series. Brennan expressed confidence that the team will bounce back.

“We’ve done this all year,” he said. “You know a lot of people have never really believed in us until we made it to the postseason. So, again kind of just the norm.”

Bibee pitched 4 2/3 innings in Game 1 against Detroit. The 24-year-old right-hander had a record of 12-8 with a 3.47 ERA in 31 regular-season starts. He is 22-12 with a 3.25 ERA in his two seasons in the majors.

The Tigers, who made the playoffs after a strong finish with a 31-13 record, will likely use several pitchers in the second of two games at Comerica Park.

“We’ve been doing this for a couple months,” Hinch said simply.

Houston utility player Mauricio Dubón had surgery on Wednesday to fix a ligament in his left thumb.

General manager Dana Brown shared the news about the surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament.

The team mentioned that Dubón played despite the injury, which he got in early September. He is expected to be healthy by the time spring training begins.

The 30-year-old Dubón had a batting average of .269 with 25 doubles, four home runs, and a career-high 47 RBIs, appearing in a personal best of 137 games. He excelled in September, hitting .338 in 23 games.

Dubón played 93 games in the outfield and also participated in all four infield positions. The 2023 Gold Glove winner made history by being the first player in the franchise to start games at seven different positions in one season.

Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson each drove in a run, while six pitchers teamed up to lead the Detroit Tigers to a 3-0 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday, giving them a 2-1 advantage in the AL Division Series.

The Tigers, who have been the best team in baseball for the past two months, will have their first chance to reach the American League Championship Series since 2013 on Thursday night in Game 4 at Comerica Park.

“We’re human,” Torkelson said. “We know how close we are.”

Cleveland has not scored in 20 consecutive innings since they began the series with a five-run first inning and a two-run sixth inning in their 7-0 win. Steven Kwan had three of the Guardians’ six hits in Game 3.

“Short sample size, obviously in the playoffs it’s a lot more magnified,” David Fry said after going 0 for 3 with two strikeouts, contributing to the team’s eight runners left on base. “I think guys have hit balls hard. Balls aren’t really falling.”

After AL Cy Young Award candidate Tarik Skubal helped shut out Cleveland in Game 2, manager A.J. Hinch sent several pitchers to the mound, keeping the Guardians quiet at the plate.

Detroit reliever Will Vest came in with two runners on and two outs in the seventh, and Fry hit a line drive to a leaping Matt Vierling at third base.

“He likes to pull the ball a lot, so I was ready for anything that came my way,” Vierling said. “I didn’t have time to think. I just had to react.”

Fans were excited all day, chanting “Let’s go Tigers!” before the first playoff game in Detroit since 2014. A record 44,885 people attended, making it the largest crowd in Comerica Park’s 25-year history.

“This is a huge victory for us, just to see the stadium and the whole city come out for the first playoff game in a decade,” Vierling said.

Right-hander Keider Montero retired the side in order in the first inning, and Greene, who had been struggling, hit a two-out RBI single in the bottom half.

Brant Hurter allowed five hits in 3 1/3 innings. Beau Brieske pitched two innings, and Sean Guenther got one out. Vest threw 1 1/3 innings before Tyler Holton finished the ninth.

Yankees star Juan Soto knows he will soon need to decide about his future, but he wants to delay that decision as long as he can.

The four-time All-Star is set to be the top free agent this offseason, with a possible contract worth up to $500 million. However, Soto mentioned before the Yankees’ 3-2 win over the Royals in Game 3 of the AL Division Series that he is letting his agent, Scott Boras, handle his contract situation.

“At the end of the day, I just try to focus on the game,” said Soto, who contributed with a sacrifice fly, two walks, and a run scored.

“Like you said, I love this game, and I’ve been playing this game since I was a kid. I’m here more about the game — trying to win, trying to find a way to win — and trying to help the team.”

Soto’s performance this season has only boosted his value. He hit .288 with 41 home runs and 109 RBIs, leading the league with 128 runs scored. His efforts were key in helping the Yankees secure the AL East title.

Earlier in the season, Soto expressed that he might be open to discussing a contract with the Yankees during the season. Now, those talks will likely have to wait until after the playoffs are over, depending on the outcome of the ALDS.

“The whole free agent talks and everything, I just leave that to my agent, let him handle it, and I just come every day to play baseball and to enjoy the game I love,” said Soto, who won a World Series with the Nationals in 2019.

“That really makes it really easy for me,” Soto added. “I just play baseball. That’s all I do.”

Soto previously turned down a $440 million, 15-year deal to stay with the Nationals and was traded to the Padres in August 2022. The Padres made it to the National League Championship Series that fall but missed the playoffs last year, despite having one of the highest payrolls in baseball.

The Padres are back in the playoffs this year, facing the Dodgers in the NL Division Series. However, they are doing this without Juan Soto, who is now with the Yankees after being the key player in a seven-player trade last December.

“When you put that jersey on and those pinstripes, it just feels different. Like you say, there’s so much history and everything, so many fans all over the world that we have, it’s just incredible,” Soto said.

“Everywhere you go, the fans are there waiting for you, cheering for you, wishing you the best, and you feel that. You feel that in every aspect.”

This strong connection with the fans is one reason Soto could return to the Yankees next season, along with team budgets.

His teammate, Aaron Judge, set a record in 2022 by signing a $360 million, nine-year deal with the Yankees. Then Shohei Ohtani broke that record by signing a $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers.

Soto might not reach those huge numbers, but he doesn’t seem to be stressing about it.

“No, no, I always keep that to my agent,” he said. “Even in my house and everything, we never even talk about that. We keep it simple — just come here, enjoy the moment, enjoy where we’re at, and we’ll see what happens.”

Pete Alonso is doing everything he can to continue playing for the New York Mets.

As he gets ready to become a sought-after free agent next month, the big hitter is a major reason why the wild-card Mets are still in the playoffs this October. With three home runs in four playoff games, Alonso has helped New York reach the National League Championship Series for the first time in nine years.

“Yes, it’s high-pressure situations — but this is the most fun baseball I’ve ever played in my life. There’s nothing like this,” Alonso said on Wednesday.

“Whether it’s win or lose, I’m ready for another one. This has been just a blast. We’ve been on such an amazing ride. After every game, yeah, I’m tired, but it’s like I can’t wait to show up to the yard tomorrow.”

In a way, tomorrow has been a big question for Alonso this season. Drafted by the Mets in 2016 from college in Florida, the first baseman has spent his whole career with the team and already ranks third on their list with 226 home runs in six major league seasons.

As one of the most popular hitters in Mets history, the Polar Bear is likely to surpass David Wright (242) and Darryl Strawberry (252) soon — if he stays with the Mets next year.

A four-time All-Star and the 2019 NL Rookie of the Year, Alonso is represented by agent Scott Boras, who is known for exploring the market with high-profile clients.

Regardless of whether these are his last weeks with the Mets, Alonso is enjoying this unexpected postseason run.

He went 2 for 3 with a double and a walk on Wednesday as New York defeated Philadelphia 4-1, thanks to Francisco Lindor’s sixth-inning grand slam. With this win, the Mets eliminated the rival Phillies 3-1 in the best-of-five series, marking their first postseason series win at home since the 2000 NLCS.

“This is what you work all offseason for. This is what spring training and the regular season is all about. This is euphoric,” Alonso said.

Next, the Mets will begin the best-of-seven NLCS on Sunday, facing either San Diego or Los Angeles. The Padres and Dodgers are tied 2-2 heading into a deciding Game 5 in their NLDS on Friday.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are choosing reliever Ryan Brasier as their starting pitcher for Game 4 against the San Diego Padres on Wednesday night, hoping to avoid elimination in their NL Division Series.

Manager Dave Roberts announced on Tuesday that the Dodgers would use a bullpen game. Brasier was named the starter about four hours before the game at Petco Park. The right-handed pitcher played in relief during Games 1 and 2 at Dodger Stadium and earned a win in the first game, which ended 7-5.

In the regular season, he had a record of 1-0 with a 3.54 ERA in 29 games, including four starts.

The Padres lead the best-of-five series 2-1 after winning 6-5 on Tuesday night, with a highlight being Fernando Tatis Jr.’s impressive two-run homer, his fourth this postseason.

For this game, the Padres are starting right-hander Dylan Cease on short rest. Cease pitched in Game 1 on Saturday but only lasted 3 1/3 innings, giving up five runs and not getting a decision.

He allowed Shohei Ohtani’s tying three-run homer in the second inning during Ohtani’s much-anticipated playoff debut for the Dodgers. Since that home run, Ohtani is 2 for 11 with six strikeouts.

Cease had a regular season record of 14-11 with a 3.74 ERA and pitched his first career no-hitter on July 25 in a 3-0 win against Washington. He was acquired in a multi-player trade with the Chicago White Sox during spring training.

Padres manager Mike Shildt mentioned that Yu Darvish would pitch Game 5 if the Dodgers can extend the series. If the Padres win on Wednesday night, Darvish would start Game 1 of the NL Championship Series on Sunday.

Francisco Lindor hit a grand slam in the sixth inning, showcasing his clutch hitting during a remarkable season, and the New York Mets advanced to the National League Championship Series with a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday.

Edwin Díaz struck out Kyle Schwarber with two runners on base to end the game, helping New York finish off their rival Phillies in Game 4 of their best-of-five Division Series, winning 3-1. This marked the Mets’ first postseason series win at home in 24 years.

“I want to win it all. And ours will be a team that will forever be remembered,” Lindor said, speaking in the interview room while one of his young daughters sat on his lap, drinking from a Gatorade bottle.

“This will be a team that comes every 10 years and eats for free everywhere they go. And I want to do that. I want to do that. But the job is not done.”

With tears in his eyes, outfielder Brandon Nimmo hugged Lindor as the Mets rushed onto the field in excitement after the final out.

In a lively locker room, they celebrated with champagne, marking the team’s first clinching celebration at Citi Field in 16 seasons. The last time the Mets won a playoff series at their own park was in the 2000 NLCS at Shea Stadium.

“This is the kind of stuff that I was dreaming about,” Nimmo said in a clubhouse interview broadcast on the giant videoboard in center field. “This has been a long time coming. We wanted it so bad for our fan base.”

After celebrating three clinching victories in 10 days and getting some rest, New York will open the best-of-seven NLCS on Sunday against either the San Diego Padres or the Los Angeles Dodgers. Those teams are tied 2-2 heading into the decisive Game 5 of their NLDS on Friday in Los Angeles.

“Let’s keep this thing rolling!” Mets slugger Pete Alonso told excited fans still in the stands as he emerged from the clubhouse party for an on-field interview while wearing large goggles. “So proud of this group. We’ve overcome so much.”

New York is pursuing its third World Series title and its first since 1986.

“I want to slay the negative Met fan perceptions, and we’re on our way to doing that,” owner Steve Cohen said.

For the NL East champion Phillies, who finished the regular season with 95 wins and six games ahead of the wild-card Mets, it was a tough exit from the playoffs. This disappointing end followed their run to the 2022 World Series and their losses in Games 6 and 7 of the 2023 NLCS at home to Arizona.

After another October setback, Bryce Harper and the Phillies continue to seek the franchise’s third championship.

“We have a really great group. We got beat in a short series,” said manager Rob Thomson.

The Mets seemed a bit too eager at the plate, leaving the bases loaded in both the first and second innings against Ranger Suárez and stranding eight runners in the first five innings.

In the sixth inning, they got three runners on again with no outs, but No. 9 batter Francisco Alvarez grounded into a force out at home against All-Star reliever Jeff Hoffman, who had warmed up three times before entering the game.

With the season on the line, Thomson brought in closer Carlos Estévez to face Lindor, who hit a 2-1 fastball that was clocked at 99 mph into Philadelphia’s bullpen in right-center, giving New York a 4-1 lead and sending the sold-out crowd of 44,103 into a wild celebration.

“I knew it right away,” Estévez said. “I knew I wanted to go a little bit higher on the pitch. Unfortunately, it was more like middle-away instead of up and away, and as soon as he hit it, I knew he hit it really well.”

With his first homer of this postseason, Lindor joined Shane Victorino and Hall of Fame slugger Jim Thome as the only major leaguers with two postseason grand slams. The star shortstop also hit one for Cleveland at Yankee Stadium in Game 2 of the 2017 AL Division Series.

Edgardo Alfonzo is the only other Mets player to hit a postseason grand slam, which he did during the 1999 Division Series at Arizona. Robin Ventura’s grand slam-single in the NLCS that year does not count.

“Got runners on and we couldn’t come up with a big hit until finally, who else? The MVP. I keep saying you could write a book. You could make a movie, because this is it right here,” Mets rookie manager Carlos Mendoza said.

“And then the whole time the inning is unfolding, Lindor is going to do it again. There’s no panic. The way he controls the emotions and he hits that ball. It’s unbelievable.”

Fans chanted “MVP! MVP!” as Lindor went into the dugout and again when he took his place on defense in the seventh inning.

Game 3 on Tuesday was Lindor’s first chance to play at Citi Field since September 8, after missing time near the end of the season due to a back injury.

But few players, if any, have been as important to their team this year as Lindor, who has delivered a series of big hits and key plays as the Mets came back from a 24-35 start to reach their first NLCS since losing the 2015 World Series to Kansas City.

His tying homer in the ninth inning on September 11 against Toronto stopped Bowden Francis’ no-hit attempt and sparked an important Mets win. His go-ahead homer in the ninth on September 30 in Atlanta secured a playoff spot.

“It just gets better and better,” Cohen said. “In that situation, he just comes through over and over again.”

Lindor also came back from a 1-2 count to draw an eight-pitch walk to start the ninth against All-Star closer Devin Williams last week in Milwaukee, helping set up Alonso’s go-ahead homer that saved New York’s season in the Wild Card Series clincher.

“It’s been an uphill fight. It’s been tough. But we’re still not where we want to be,” Lindor said. “This road, it’s been, yeah, it’s been curvy — but I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Mets starter Jose Quintana didn’t give up any earned runs in five-plus innings, allowing just two hits, while David Peterson pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings to secure the win.

Díaz walked his first two batters in the ninth, which caused some groans from the fans, but then he retired the next three batters — two of them by strikeouts — earning the first postseason save of his career.

The Phillies struggled at the plate throughout the series, except for a late comeback to win Game 2 at home. They scored their only run in the fourth inning due to an error by third baseman Mark Vientos.

Hoffman took his second loss, adding to the struggles of a Philadelphia bullpen that didn’t perform well during the series.

“Some of it’s execution, maybe some of it’s being familiar with our guys,” Thomson said. “I don’t know. It should work both ways, though.”

Giancarlo Stanton hit a go-ahead home run in the eighth inning during a matchup of bullpens, leading the New York Yankees to a 3-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night in Game 3 of their AL Division Series at Kauffman Stadium.

Stanton finished with three hits, drove in two runs, and stole a base for the first time in four years. The Yankees will turn to six-time All-Star pitcher Gerrit Cole on Thursday night, with a chance to advance to the American League Championship Series.

“We need to wrap it up tomorrow. No wiggle room,” Stanton said. “We’ve got to get it done.”

In a game focused on pitching, the Royals used four relievers before Kris Bubic, who had moved from starter to bullpen ace, came in for the eighth. He struck out Austin Wells before Stanton connected on a 3-1 pitch, sending it nearly 420 feet to left field for the lead.

“He’s done it throughout his career with us,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “I thought that at-bat off Bubic was just phenomenal. I think he went up there looking to do damage, looking to do just that.”

The Royals attempted to respond against Luke Weaver in the bottom of the eighth, getting Bobby Witt Jr.’s first hit of the series and a two-out single from Salvador Perez. However, Weaver remained calm and got Yuli Gurriel to fly out, then handled the ninth inning to earn the save and complete 4 1/3 scoreless innings from the Yankees’ bullpen.

Yankees relievers have not allowed an earned run in 13 2/3 innings this postseason.

“I think that’s been one of our strengths, if not our main strength, the whole year,” Yankees starter Clarke Schmidt said.

Meanwhile, Aaron Judge, the leading candidate for AL MVP, struggled again. He went 0-for-4, making his postseason performance 1-for-11 with just an infield single in three games against the Royals.

He did manage to draw one of the Yankees’ nine walks on Wednesday night, bringing their total to 22 for the series.

“You’ve got to tip your cap to them,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “They’re not chasing. They’re not expanding. But we also have to do a better job of limiting those for sure.”

This was the first playoff game at Kauffman Stadium in 3,268 days, since the Royals defeated the Mets in Game 2 of the 2015 World Series. They won their first title in 30 years a few days later in New York. Eric Hosmer, the first baseman on that Royals team, was there to throw the first pitch for a crowd that included Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman was taken out of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ lineup for Game 4 of their NL Division Series against San Diego on Wednesday night because of a painful ankle sprain.

Manager Dave Roberts had initially included Freeman in the lineup, where he was set to bat third and play first base. However, less than two hours before the game started, Freeman was replaced at first by Max Muncy, who would now bat fourth.

Kiké Hernández moved from center field to take Muncy’s place at third base, while Chris Taylor stepped in to play center field.

The Padres were leading the best-of-five series 2-1.

Freeman injured his right ankle while running to first base against the Padres during the last week of the regular season.

His absence is a significant setback for the NL West champions, especially since leadoff batter Shohei Ohtani has been struggling in the last two games.

One pitch ended six months of success, highlighting the harsh reality of 21st-century baseball that values fall performance over summer achievements.

Carlos Estévez crouched on the mound, resting his hands on his knees and looking over his left shoulder as Francisco Lindor hit a 2-1 fastball into right-center field. When the ball landed in Philadelphia’s bullpen for a grand slam in the sixth inning, which turned a 1-0 Phillies lead into a 4-1 deficit, Estévez dropped his hands, and his head hung low.

“I knew it right away,” Estévez said after the Phillies lost to the New York Mets on Wednesday night, ending the NL Division Series in four games and sending them home for the winter.

It has been 16 years without a World Series title for the Phillies. In the last three seasons, Bryce Harper and his teammates have continued to fall short of the trophy.

“Every loss is kind of the same, man,” Harper said. “Any time you lose and don’t finish the job of a World Series, it’s the same—if it’s the next round or the World Series round, it all feels pretty similar.”

Philadelphia made it to Game 6 of the 2022 World Series but lost to Houston. The team appeared close to success with a strong offense led by Harper, Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto, and Nick Castellanos, along with a pitching rotation featuring Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler.

In 2023, Trea Turner joined the team, and the Phillies took a 3-2 lead against Arizona in last year’s NL Championship Series but lost Games 6 and 7 at home.

This year, the Phillies started strong with a 46-20 record, gaining a 10-game division lead, and finished with a 95-67 record to win the NL East for the first time since 2011.

“You just feel like you fail,” Turner said. “We had a fun season. We had some good memories and whatnot. But when your goal is to win the World Series, and I think we talked about it plenty, it’s nothing but kind of a failure. So I don’t think it’s from lack of trying, lack of talent, or who we have in the clubhouse. We just couldn’t get it done.”

There were signs of issues as October approached. The Phillies lost eight of their last 13 games in the regular season.

It turns out that Yankees third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. is perfectly happy playing the role of playoff villain.

Chisholm made headlines after New York lost Game 2 of its AL Division Series to the Royals when he said they “just got lucky.” When he returned to Kansas City for Game 3 on Wednesday night, the sellout crowd of 40,312 reminded him of his words by booing him every time he touched the ball or came up to bat.

“I loved every single second of it. I love it. It gets my juices flowing,” Chisholm said after the Yankees won 3-2, putting them close to reaching the American League Championship Series. “I’ve never seen anyone boo a bum. It gets us going. That is the reaction I wanted, and it got our juices flowing. Sounded like I got to a lot of people.”

Luck wasn’t on Chisholm’s side that night—he went 0 for 4 with a strikeout. But the Yankees still won thanks to an eighth-inning homer by Giancarlo Stanton and a strong performance from their bullpen, which managed to hold the Royals scoreless for 4 1/3 innings.

This silenced the excited crowd that was witnessing the Royals’ first home playoff game in almost a decade.

New York will look to secure its place in the American League Championship Series with Gerrit Cole pitching on Thursday night.

As for Chisholm, he is just the latest Yankees player to face the anger of Kansas City fans.

Those who remember the 2012 All-Star Game at Kauffman Stadium know how much fans booed Robinson Cano for snubbing Royals slugger Billy Butler when selecting teams for the Home Run Derby. Royals fans continued to boo Cano for years whenever he returned to Kansas City.

Chisholm seems completely fine with that possibility for his future.

“He loves it. He enjoys it,” Stanton said. “You get the crowd into it and get him distracted on something, and he’ll be alright.”

Mookie Betts hit a home run for the second night in a row, and Shohei Ohtani added an RBI single as the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated Dylan Cease and the San Diego Padres 8-0 on Wednesday night. This win forced a deciding Game 5 in their close NL Division Series.

Will Smith and Gavin Lux each contributed with two-run homers, helping the Dodgers end a two-game losing streak. They will now head back home for the next game against their NL West rivals on Friday night.

“We have a bunch of grinders, a bunch of fighters,” Betts said after the Dodgers achieved their largest shutout win in postseason history. “We knew it wasn’t going to be easy.”

The Padres had previously won 10-2 at Dodger Stadium in Game 2 on Sunday, a match that saw tempers rise both on the field and in the stands.

The winner of this series will gain home-field advantage in the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets, who knocked out the Philadelphia Phillies in their NLDS.

“I’m proud. … Your desire’s got to be more than your opponent’s,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “To see our guys go through what they’ve been through, and respond the way they have, it makes me excited about Game 5.”

The Dodgers received an excellent performance from opener Ryan Brasier and seven relievers in a bullpen game, limiting the Padres to seven hits and extending their scoreless streak to 15 innings. Evan Phillips, who earned the win, retired Jurickson Profar, Manny Machado, and Jackson Merrill with just five pitches in the sixth inning.

“The guys were efficient, understanding that they’re going to have to do up/downs, go a little bit longer potentially,” Roberts said. “So the efficiency of the strike zone was huge and it gives us options for Game 5.”

The Dodgers quieted the crowd of 47,773 at Petco Park, who had hoped to see San Diego eliminate LA in the NLDS for the second time in three seasons.

With All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman out due to a bothersome right ankle sprain, Betts and Ohtani—who had a great first season with the Dodgers—needed to step up to keep LA’s season going. They did just that, with Betts driving in two runs on two hits and Ohtani bringing in one run while reaching base three times.

When the Dodgers were ahead 5-0, Ohtani was thrown out trying to score from second on a single by Teoscar Hernández. The ball deflected off third baseman Machado’s glove and hit umpire Mark Ripperger.

Machado went around the umpire, retrieved the ball, and threw it to catcher Kyle Higashioka, who tagged Ohtani for the third out.

The Padres’ decision to start Cease on short rest didn’t work out. He got Ohtani to ground out at the start of the game before Betts hit a home run on a full-count pitch. Cease then allowed two runners with one out in the second inning and was taken out after Ohtani’s RBI single on his 38th pitch.

“I like how the ball was coming out of my hand, and I didn’t feel like I shot myself in the foot too much, which I felt like I’ve been doing. I felt good out there,” Cease said. About being taken out early, he added, “It depended on results, and unfortunately the results weren’t here today.”

Betts hit an RBI single on Bryan Hoeing’s first pitch, extending the lead to 3-0 and quieting the excited crowd waving towels.

This time, Betts was sure about his home run. He hit a 3-2 pitch into the Padres’ bullpen beyond the left-center fence, raising his right index finger as he rounded first base, while Ohtani celebrated in the dugout.

On Tuesday night, Betts hit a home run to left field but thought Jurickson Profar had caught it again. He started to walk toward the dugout until his teammates and even Padres pitcher Michael King signaled that it was a homer.

Profar had previously robbed Betts of a home run on Sunday at Dodger Stadium, which led to a 12-minute delay when fans threw baseballs and trash onto the field.

Betts ended a slump of 0-for-22 in the playoffs with his home run on Tuesday night.

“I’m not trying to win the game for us. And we got plenty of guys that can win games for us,” Betts said. “I just want to do my part in the team. And that’s all I’ve been focused on.”

Ohtani hit a tying three-run homer off Cease in his highly awaited playoff debut, helping the Dodgers win 7-5 on Saturday night. Ohtani became the first player this season to join the 50-50 club with 54 home runs and 59 stolen bases.

With Max Muncy on second base after a leadoff double in the third inning, Smith hit a pitch from Hoeing straight to the batter’s eye in center field, giving the Dodgers a 5-0 lead.

The Dodgers added more runs in the seventh with Tommy Edman’s sacrifice bunt and Lux’s two-run homer to right off Wandy Peralta.

The Dodgers managed to keep star Fernando Tatis Jr. from hitting any home runs after he hit three in the first three games, including two on Sunday, and a total of four this postseason. Brasier struck out Tatis in the first inning, marking the star’s first strikeout in six playoff games.

“They executed as a group tonight, credit to them,” Tatis said. “We were rolling as an offense. But we had a couple of innings that didn’t go in our favor. We need to get a better approach at the plate. … just better at-bats as a group.”