
⚾ Headlines Around the League
Dodgers 5, Brewers 1 — Ohtani’s three-HR, 10-K masterpiece clinches NL pennant
Mariners 6, Blue Jays 2 — Seattle erupts late, moves within one win of first World Series berth
If you didn’t hop online last night, you missed arguably one of the greatest postseason days of all time. I don’t want to take anything away from what the Mariners did because they were incredible, but my goodness, Shohei Ohtani just delivered one of the most unreal playoff performances ever. Honestly, it might go down as the greatest.
As a Giants fan, yeah, it stings a little, but even I can’t watch what Ohtani did and not be in absolute awe. Words don’t do it justice, so if you missed it, don’t look at headlines or box scores. Just watch this….. the greatest postseason performance you’ll ever see:
Then out in Seattle, the Mariners pulled off more magic in wild fashion. Cal Raleigh — who might just be your AL MVP, launched a monster homer to tie it late, and Seattle did what they’ve been doing all October: finding a way to win.
Thank you all for following along with First Pitch this season, it’s been an absolute blast. Let’s get ready for an insane World Series.
Dodgers 5, Brewers 1
The Dodgers are heading back to the World Series after a 5–1 win over the Brewers in Game 4, sweeping the NLCS behind a once-in-a-lifetime performance from Shohei Ohtani. The two-way superstar hit three home runs, struck out 10 across six scoreless innings, and claimed the NLCS MVP as Los Angeles clinched consecutive pennants for the first time in 25 years.
🔑 Key Moments
Shohei Ohtani struck out three straight in the top of the first, then launched a 446-foot leadoff homer to right field to put LA ahead 1–0.
Mookie Betts doubled and scored on Tommy Edman’s RBI single as the Dodgers built a 3–0 lead in the first inning.
In the fourth, Ohtani delivered his second blast of the night — a 469-foot moonshot that cleared Dodger Stadium entirely.
Ohtani struck out 10 through six innings, generating 19 whiffs and holding Milwaukee to just two hits.
The MVP moment came in the seventh, when Ohtani crushed his third homer to center field, sealing LA’s pennant-clinching win.
Alex Vesia, Blake Treinen, Anthony Banda, and Roki Sasaki closed out the final three innings, allowing just one run.
📊 Notable Stats
Los Angeles Dodgers
Shohei Ohtani: 3-for-3, 3 HR, 3 RBI, BB; 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 10 K
Will Smith: 2-for-4, R
Tommy Edman: 1-for-4, RBI
Mookie Betts: 1-for-4, R
Teoscar Hernández: 1-for-4, RBI
Milwaukee Brewers
Jackson Chourio: 2-for-4, 2B
Caleb Durbin: 1-for-4, R, 2B
Jose Quintana: 2.0 IP, 6 H, 3 ER
Chad Patrick: 4.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 K
Trevor Megill: 1.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 K
Mariners 6, Blue Jays 2
The Mariners stunned the Blue Jays with an eighth-inning explosion, capped by Eugenio Suárez’s grand slam, to win Game 5 of the ALCS, 6–2, and take a commanding 3–2 series lead. Cal Raleigh’s game-tying homer moments earlier and Randy Arozarena’s leaping catch preserved Seattle’s season-defining rally in front of a roaring T-Mobile Park crowd.
🔑 Key Moments
Eugenio Suárez opened the scoring in the second with a solo shot to left-center, giving the Mariners an early 1–0 lead.
The Blue Jays tied it in the fifth when George Springer doubled to left-center, scoring Addison Barger.
Ernie Clement’s RBI single in the sixth gave Toronto a 2–1 edge, as Alejandro Kirk came home from second.
In the bottom of the eighth, Randy Arozarena robbed Clement of an extra-base hit at the wall, keeping the game within reach.
Moments later, Cal Raleigh tied it 2–2 with a 348-foot homer down the left-field line.
The floodgates opened as Randy Arozarena was hit by a pitch to load the bases, setting up Eugenio Suárez, who crushed a grand slam to right — his second homer of the night — sending the Mariners to the brink of history.
📊 Notable Stats
Seattle Mariners
Eugenio Suárez: 2-for-3, 2 HR, 5 RBI, BB
Cal Raleigh: 2-for-4, HR, 2B, RBI
Josh Naylor: 1-for-3, BB, R
Bryce Miller: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
Bryan Woo: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER
Andrés Muñoz: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R
Toronto Blue Jays
George Springer: 1-for-4, 2B, RBI
Ernie Clement: 1-for-4, RBI
Alejandro Kirk: 1-for-3, 2B, R
Kevin Gausman: 5.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
Brendon Little: 0.0 IP, 3 ER, 2 BB
Seranthony Domínguez: 1.0 IP, 2 ER
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