The Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs treated fans to a high-scoring affair on Wednesday night, with the Dodgers ultimately prevailing 10-8.
Let’s get into the key stats and standout performances from this rollercoaster of a game.
Cubs
| Player | AB | R | H | RBI | AVG |
| I. Happ LF | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .243 |
| D. Swanson SS | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .234 |
| S. Suzuki DH | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .274 |
| C. Bellinger RF | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | .266 |
| I. Paredes 3B | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | .230 |
| M. Busch 1B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .249 |
| N. Hoerner 2B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .261 |
| P. Crow-Armstrong CF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .243 |
| C. Bethancourt C | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .213 |
| a- M. Tauchman PH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .245 |
| M. Amaya C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .228 |
Note: a-flied out for Bethancourt in the 8th
Dodgers
| Player | AB | R | H | RBI | AVG |
| S. Ohtani DH | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | .292 |
| M. Betts RF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .303 |
| F. Freeman 1B | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .282 |
| T. Hernandez LF | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | .267 |
| E. Hernandez LF | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .216 |
| T. Edman CF | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | .300 |
| W. Smith C | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | .245 |
| M. Muncy 3B | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .230 |
| M. Rojas SS | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | .290 |
| C. Taylor 2B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .176 |
| a- G. Lux PH-2B | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .251 |
Note: a-grounded out for Taylor in the 5th
First Inning Fireworks
The game started with a bang – quite literally:
- Cubs: Jumped to an early 2-0 lead
- Dodgers: Responded with a jaw-dropping 4 home runs in the bottom of the first
This offensive explosion set the tone for a back-and-forth contest that kept fans on the edge.
Ohtani’s Two-Way Brilliance
Shohei Ohtani continued to make his case for MVP with another stellar performance:
- Home run #47 of the season (405 ft to center field)
- Stolen base #48
- Inching closer to the historic 50-50 club
Power Display from Both Sides
The long ball was the story of the night:
1. Dodgers: 5 total home runs
- Ohtani, Edman, Smith, Muncy (1st inning)
- Edman again (8th inning)
2. Cubs: 1 home run
- Bellinger (3-run shot in the 5th)
Pitching Struggles
While the offenses shined, pitchers on both sides had a rough outing:
1. Dodgers’ Bobby Miller:
- 4 1/3 innings pitched
- 6 runs allowed
- 4 walks
- ERA ballooned to 8.17
2. Cubs’ bullpen:
- Couldn’t hold an early lead
- Allowed go-ahead run in 7th inning
Late-Game Drama
The Cubs didn’t go down without a fight:
- Loaded the bases in the 9th inning
- Scored on a sacrifice fly
- Ultimately, he fell short as Kopech secured his 13th save
Key Performers
Several players had standout nights at the plate:
1. Tommy Edman (Dodgers):
- 2 home runs (one from each side of the plate)
- 4 RBIs
2. Cody Bellinger (Cubs):
- 3-run home run against his former team
3. Gavin Lux (Dodgers):
- Game-winning RBI single in the 7th inning
Looking Ahead
This victory was crucial for the Dodgers as they inch closer to clinching the NL West title. Their magic number now stands at 11.
Both teams will now hit the road:
- Cubs: Head to Colorado for their next series
- Dodgers: Travel to Atlanta to face the Braves
As the regular season winds down, every game becomes more important in the playoff race.
This slugfest served as a reminder of the excitement October baseball promises to bring.
