"Shohei Ohtani is Shohei Ohtani, and I don't think there's anybody like him" - Teoscar Hernandez impressed by Dodgers teammate after playoff heroics
Shohei Ohtani and Teoscar Hernandez came up clutch in the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-5 win against the San Diego Padres in the NLDS opener on Saturday at Dodger Stadium.
Ohtani, who made his postseason debut after arriving in the majors in 2018, smashed a game-tying three-run home run in the second inning and down the stretch scored once again. Hernandez went 1-4 at the plate while driving in two runs in the win.
After the game, Teoscar Hernandez appeared for an interview with FOX Sports and talked with the crew, which included HOFers, namely Derek Jeter, David Ortiz and Alex Rodriguez. A-Rod asked Hernandez about the impression Shohei Ohtani has left on the team.
"You know, now that I've been with him this whole year—spring training and now here—and have seen him develop in big situations, when everybody thinks he's not used to these kinds of scenarios," Hernandez said (2:55 onwards).
"Shohei is Shohei, and I don't think there's anybody like him playing this game. I'm just watching him enjoy what he's doing right now, and I'm glad that I can be on his team."
Dodgers edge out Padres in NLDS Game 1 thriller ft. Shohei Ohtani's 3-run HR
As expected, the first postseason game of the Dodgers this season saw a huge crowd. However, most of them were silenced after Manny Machado's two-run homer off Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the first inning, which sent the Dodgers in a 3-0 hole.
The Dodgers lineup stitched up some walks and hits to bring Shohei Ohtani on the plate again in the second inning, and this time, Dylan Cease wasn't getting away with him easily.
Ohtani, as expected, brought life to the crowd after he smoked a three-run homer that got back the Dodgers right in the game. A two-run RBI double by Xander Bogaerts in the third off Yamamoto then gave the Padres a 5-3 lead.
The Dodgers rallied back with a three-run fourth inning, which involved Tommy Edman scoring on a wild pitch and Teoscar Hernandez driving in Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts to take the lead 6-5.
The Dodgers added another run in the fifth. Despite multiple opportunities to score, especially the jam in the ninth inning, the Padres couldn't score as the Dodgers went on to take Game 1 of the NLDS.
The two will face each other tomorrow, Sunday for Game 2.