Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers Clinch NLCS Berth in G5 Win vs. Padres as MLB Fans Celebrate

For the first time in the Shohei Ohtani era, the Los Angeles Dodgers are headed to the NLCS.

Home runs from Kiké Hernández and Teoscar Hernández and five scoreless innings from Yoshinobu Yamamoto helped the Dodgers seal a 2-0 division series-clinching Game 5 win over the San Diego Padres on Friday night.

Kiké Hernández put the Dodgers on the board first when he hit a solo homer off Yu Darvish in the second inning.

Hernández has now recorded 14 home runs and 52 hits in 75 career playoff appearances.

Yamamoto allowed the Dodgers hold on to the early lead by pitching five shutout innings in his second postseason start.

He stepped off the mound having thrown 39 strikes on 63 pitches, striking out two and allowing two hits, a walk and no runs.

The outing marked just Yamamoto's five-inning appearance since returning from a shoulder injury in September.

Teoscar Hernández then gave the Dodgers an insurance run with a homer of his own in the seventh.

Hernández chose to sign a one-year deal with the Dodgers rather than a reported two-year offer from the Boston Red Sox. That choice looks like it is paying off for both him and the Dodgers.

The Los Angeles bullpen meanwhile closed out the win with a dominant final three innings as Evan Phillips, Alex Vesia, Michael Kopech and Blake Treinen combined for five strikeouts, no hits and no walks.

Despite having the Dodgers on the edge of elimination in Game 4, the Padres' bats were mostly silent in the elimination loss as only Luis Arraez and Kyle Higashioka recorded hits. Star right fielder Fernando Tatís Jr. was left with no hits and a strikeout in four at-bats.

The Dodgers are now set to face the New York Mets in the team's first NLCS appearance since 2021, and Ohtani's first championship series ever.

The NLCS is slated to begin on Sunday. The winner of the upcoming series will face either the New York Yankees, Cleveland Guardians or Detroit Tigers in the 2024 World Series.