Shohei Ohtani continued rising to the moment and Gavin Lux also was among those who delivered for the Los Angeles Dodgers in a key 4-3 win over the San Diego Padres.
The Dodgers took their initial lead thanks to an RBI single from Teoscar Hernández. The table had been set by Ohtani drawing a leadoff walk and later moving into scoring position on Dylan Cease’s wild pitch.
The Padres took a 2-1 lead in the second inning and remained ahead until Lux’s two-out RBI base hit in the bottom of the fourth. Lux was in position to tie the game thanks to Tommy Edman’s double.
Miggy Ro shows off the glove.
(🎥: @SportsNetLA) pic.twitter.com/md8ukJPXeq— Dodger Blue (@DodgerBlue1958) September 26, 2024
Tie it up, Gavin!
(🎥: @Dodgers) pic.twitter.com/LwATFVbLj6— Dodger Blue (@DodgerBlue1958) September 26, 2024
After Miguel Rojas kept the inning alive with a walk, Ohtani lined an RBI double off the fence in right field. But any momentum the Dodgers had taken hold of slipped away on Fernando Tatis Jr.’s game-tying solo home run with two outs in the fifth inning.
Shohei wants to win.
(🎥: @MLB) pic.twitter.com/Ec7lzSddQY— Dodger Blue (@DodgerBlue1958) September 26, 2024
That's why he's the MVP.
(🎥: @Dodgers) pic.twitter.com/w5m7aYdxHR— Dodger Blue (@DodgerBlue1958) September 26, 2024
Ohtani then found himself at the plate in another crucial situation with the game still tied, and delivered once more for the Dodgers with his RBI single putting them ahead 4-3 in the sixth inning.
Shohei Ohtani also tied Ichiro for the most stolen bases in a season by a Japanese-born player.
(🎥: @MLB) pic.twitter.com/c88Y1uZ2Bw— Dodger Blue (@DodgerBlue1958) September 26, 2024
🫡
(🎥: @Dodgers) pic.twitter.com/8gX9FeA2ru— Dodger Blue (@DodgerBlue1958) September 26, 2024
“He’s the best player in baseball,” Max Muncy said after the Dodgers’ win.
“You never think he’s going to get out. Every time he gets in the box, you’re just waiting for something incredible to happen. And he really doesn’t disappoint too often.”
Dodgers magic number
With their win, the Dodgers’ magic number to clinch the National League West is now down to two. They can win the division as soon as Thursday by defeating the Padres.
Otherwise, any combination of Dodgers wins or Padres losses that amounts to two, will clinch the NL West title.
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