Baseball star pitcher Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers concluded their great season by qualifying for the World Series with a tough 10-5 win against the New York Mets on Sunday, Oct.20.
Boosted by a dominant 4-2 series win in the National League Championship Series (NLCS), the Dodgers now head to the World Series against the New York Yankees for the first time since 2020.
Ohtani's Stellar Performance Propels Dodgers Forward
Japanese phenomenon Shohei Ohtani red hot in game six. The 24-year-old answered the call for the Dodgers with a 2-for-4 performance, knocked home an RBI, and scored two of his own, Sportskeeda reports.
Ohtani's sixth-inning single made the Dodgers' lead 7-3 and proved to be the dagger that continued to send the Dodgers into the Fall Classic at the expense of the Mets.
"It's the place that I've dreamed of playing all my life," Ohtani said. "To be able to finally come to this stage and be able to play and hopefully win it is my next goal," the Japanese star said in a press conference.
Ohtani got a jump on setting the tone in the game early with a leadoff single off Mets starter Sean Manaea. Manaea could not tame the Dodgers' offense and was yanked after a disastrous third inning during which Los Angeles tacked on four runs.
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ProTommy Edman Powers Dodgers' Offense
The one whose name was on the NLCS MVP was Tommy Edman, who proved to be very important for the Dodgers' offense. He hit a two-run home run, but among four RBIs he scored one clutch double with two RBI, and that came in the first inning when it finally put the Dodgers ahead 2-1. This was enough momentum for the Dodgers to take over the game.
In the third inning, Edman followed with Will Smith's back-to-back, two-run homers to take the Dodgers out to a 6-1 lead. The Mets did mount a small rally in the fourth when Mark Vientos hit deep with a two-run homer. However, the Dodgers maintained control over the game.
"The way the season started, to end up in this situation is crazy. Amazing team. They welcomed me with open arms. Can't wait to keep things going," Edman said via The Japan Times.
Dodgers Bullpen Proves Solid in Game 6
Seven Dodgers pitchers staved off the Mets in a bullpen game for manager Dave Roberts. The Mets were threatening with the bases loaded in the sixth, but the Los Angeles Dodgers relief corps shut the door on further runs.
World Series Will Complete Ohtani's Storybook
With the conclusion of a six-season sting in Los Angeles, where the Angels never reached the playoffs, Shohei Ohtani will now get his first crack at the biggest prize in American baseball. The Dodgers will play the Yankees in a best-of-seven World Series that starts Friday night—a clash between two of MLB's most storied franchises.
The New York Yankees pursued him before becoming a free agent, but Ohtani is looking to close out the post-season and bring another championship to the city of Los Angeles.
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