Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
After taking the first two games of the series, the Dodgers were going for a sweep against the only team that has yet to be swept in the Reds. They had Shohei Ohtani on the mound and were running out a depleted lineup, but they got some luck for once on offense to get Shohei some support. Meanwhile, Shohei displayed the full arsenal to get through five for the first time this season, securing his first win as a Dodger and to complete a sweep with a 5-1 victory.
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As mentioned, Shohei Ohtani was on the bump for the Dodgers, and his very first pitch was slashed for a single in the 1st. However, he rebounded with a pair of strikeouts to help him prevent any trouble. The 2nd was more of a labor, as he walked back-to-back batters with one out and uncorked two wild pitches, but struck out three batters to help him escape the jam.
Is finger gun new? pic.twitter.com/GaPBUuHdo8
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) August 28, 2025
He also struck out two more in the 3rd as the stuff was working, but Noelvi Marte ambushed a cutter to give the Reds a 1-0 lead.
Noelvi just destroyed a baseball‼️@MarteNoelvi pic.twitter.com/tfE3JVoYsa
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) August 28, 2025
He rebounded in the 4th and 5th with clean innings, and ended up retiring the last eight he faced.
Shohei Ohtani strikes out nine as he completes five innings for the first time this year. pic.twitter.com/H4BLMYvJMr
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) August 28, 2025
Ohtani broke out seven pitches today to get through five for the first time and exited in line for the win: 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 9 K, 87 Pitches.
He needs to throw the sinker more often if it moves like this. I thought it was a split. pic.twitter.com/aD275Hsv8S
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) August 28, 2025
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Opposing him was Nick Lodolo, who looked like a threat to throw a perfecto early, retiring the side in order the first time through on just 33 pitches and with five strikeouts.
That turned in the 4th, mostly due to good fortune for the Dodgers. After Shohei led off the inning with a single, with one down it was back-to-back bloop singles to right from Teoscar Hernandez and Andy Pages to load the bases just like that. The luck continued when Enrique Hernandez grounded a ball up the middle for a single to plate a pair and make it 2-1.
Kiké for the lead! pic.twitter.com/ceMvjSf9Gx
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 28, 2025
After the second out advanced both runners into scoring position, the Reds intentionally walked Miguel Rojas to re-load the bases, and Dalton Rushing made them pay with a seeing-eye single of his own to plate two more and push the lead to 4-1.
¡Dalton para aumentar la ventaja! pic.twitter.com/do3C54UzHW
— Los Dodgers (@LosDodgers) August 28, 2025
The rally ended there, and it was simultaneously more than they deserved and exactly the kind of luck they were missing of late.
While they didn’t do anything more against Lodolo, he also didn’t make it through the 5th as the Reds pen entered and finished that frame, then they got a scoreless 6th as well.
The Dodgers then had a big chance to add insurance in the 7th, as the Reds walked the bases loaded with one out, but a pair of flyouts ended the threat without any runs crossing.
Yeesh.
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Tasked with getting Ohtani his first win as a Dodger, Jack Dreyer was first out of the pen in the 6th, striking out a pair and issuing just a two-out walk.
Things were not so easy for Justin Wrobleski in the 7th, as he went strikeout, single, strikeout, single, and four-pitch walk to load them up and put the go-ahead run at the plate. However, it took one pitch for him to get out of that jam on a groundout.
Exhale.
He also started the 8th for matchup reasons, but surrendered a lead-off single before Edgardo Henriquez entered. He … well, looked amazing. He struck out three batters to get out of the inning, showcasing all four of his pitches (as seen below), and only allowed a walk because the umpire blew a call on a perfectly placed pitch.
Here they are, in order: cutter, fastball, sinker, slider. https://t.co/JvT193aUtb pic.twitter.com/l2FDwWjNQX
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) August 28, 2025
Rolling.
Meanwhile, Michael Conforto hit a homer in their half of the 8th to get the Dodgers some insurance at 5-1.
419 feet from Michael! pic.twitter.com/Bq33jdXtMH
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 28, 2025
Blake Treinen then entered with a nice cushion in the 9th, striking out a pair to start, but then giving up a single and a walk. He then got behind 2-0 to the next batter but managed to rebound with three strikes to end the game.
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Son Heung Min was in the building to throw out the first pitch.
What a first pitch from Sonny! ? pic.twitter.com/zPbDnoU6vI
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 28, 2025
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| NL Playoff Seeding | Record | GB |
|---|---|---|
| Brewers | 83-51 | – |
| Dodgers | 77-57 | 6.0 |
| Phillies | 76-57 | 6.5 |
| NL West | Record | GB |
|---|---|---|
| Dodgers | 77-57 | – |
| Padres | 75-59 | 2.0 |
The Dodgers will have an oddly-timed day off tomorrow, as they will remain at home and then welcome in the Diamondbacks for a three-game series. It’ll be on SNLA and MLB Network and start at 4:10 PM HT/7:10 PM PT/10:10 PM ET with Blake Snell on the bump against Zac Gallen.
