Game Notes, 10/17/2025 – LCS Day 6

When Babe Ruth made the last of his three World Series starts on the mound, he was batting in an untraditional spot for a pitcher – sixth.  On the mound on this ninth day of September in 1918, Ruth kept the Cubs off the board for the first four innings and then drove in the game’s first runs in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run triple.  The southpaw finally succumbed in the top of the eighth, when he surrendered a pair of hits, issued a walk and threw a wild pitch – a bad combo (for Ruth, at least) leading to two runs for Chicago.  Fortunately (for Ruth, at least), his teammates plated one themselves in the bottom half of the inning to regain the lead.  Ruth then went back to the mound in the top of the ninth with a chance to close things out, but immediately got into trouble, and so was replaced by Bullet Joe Bush.  With Ruth watching from left field, Bush got three outs while facing two batters and the Babe – in addition to leading his team in total bases and RBI – got to affix a ‘W’ to his pitching line.  Leading the charge from the plate … taking control on the mound … 

From Babe Ruth to Shohei Ohtani … 

*Dodgers v. Brewers, NLCS Game 4*

Shohei Ohtani’s impersonation of Babe Ruth at the plate and Justin Verlander on the mound led the Dodgers to a 5-1 victory and a four-game sweep of the Brewers.  With the win, the Dodgers claimed their 23rd pennant in the World Series Era.  As for Ohtani …

~He became the 13th player (and third Dodger) to homer three times in a postseason game, and the sixth of the 13 to do it in a clincher.  

3 HR’s in a Postseason Clincher

1928 WS, G4       Babe Ruth (3-for-5, 3 RBI in a 7-3 win for the Yankees)

1977 WS, G6       Reggie Jackson (3-for-3, 5 RBI in an 8-4 win for the Yankees)

2002 ALCS, G5    Adam Kennedy (4-for-4, 5 RBI in a 13-5 win for the Angels)

2011 ALDS, G4    Adrian Beltré (3-for-4, 3 RBI in a 4-3 win for the Rangers)

2017 NLCS, G5   Kiké Hernández (3-for-4, 7 RBI in an 11-1 win for the Dodgers)

2025 NLCS, G4   Shohei Ohtani (3-for-3, 3 RBI in a 5-1 win for the Dodgers)

~As for the Dodgers’ part of things, the last three times a player has thrice gone deep, it’s been for this franchise, with Ohtani succeeding Kiké Hernández (Game 5, 2017 NLCS) and Chris Taylor (Game 5, 2021 NLCS).  

~Ohtani joined George Brett (1978 ALCS, G3) as the only leadoff hitters to go yard three times in a game.  

~The other three-homer blasters in a postseason that haven’t been referenced yet:  Babe Ruth (1926 WS, G4), Bob Robertson (1971 NLCS, G2), Albert Pujols (2011 WS, G3), Pablo Sandoval (2012 WS, G1) and Jose Altuve (2017 ALDS, G1).  Nowhere a pitcher to be found, of course, until Ohtani, who, on the mound, fanned 10 over six scoreless innings while allowing two hits with three walks.  There are 25 pitchers who’ve gone deep in a postseason contest.  Those to also have 10+ strikeouts and/or post a Game Score of 75+ are listed below.  

→Jesse Haines in Game 3 of the 1926 World Series.  Game Score of 77 (five-hit shutout with three K’s and three walks) while going 2-for-3 with a two-run homer and a single.

→Bucky Walters in Game 6 of the 1940 World Series.  Game Score of 77 (five-hit shutout with two strikeouts and two walks) while going 1-for-4 with a two-run homer.

→Mudcat Grant in Game 6 of the 1965 World Series.  Game Score of 76 (6-hitter with one run allowed, five K’s and no walks) while going 1-for-3 with a three-run home run.

→Bob Gibson in Game 7 of the 1967 World Series.  Game Score of 80 (three-hitter with two runs allowed, 10 strikeouts and three walks) while going 1-for-4 with a solo home run.

→Mickey Lolich in Game 2 of the 1968 World Series.  Game Score of 78 (6-hitter with one run allowed, nine strikeouts and two walks) while going 2-for-4 with a solo homer, a single and a walk.

→Bob Gibson in Game 4 of the 1968 World Series.  Game Score of 81 (five-hitter with one run allowed, 10 strikeouts and two walks) while going 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk.

→Rick Sutcliffe in Game 1 of the 1984 NLCS.  Game Score of 76 (7.0 IP, 2 hits, no runs with eight K’s and five walks) while going 2-for-4 with a solo homer and a single.

→Jeff Suppan in Game 3 of the 2006 NLCS.  Game Score of 79 (eight scoreless innings on three hits with four strikeouts and a walk) while going 1-for-1 with a solo homer and two sac bunts.  

→Shohei Ohtani in Game 4 of the 2025 NLCS.  Game Score of 75 (six scoreless innings on two hits with 10 strikeouts and three walks) while going 3-for-3 with three solo homers and a walk.

~Ohtani joined a 48-man band consisting of those with 10 strikeouts and no runs allowed in a postseason contest, including a few others sporting Dodgers uniforms:  Sandy Koufax (Games 5 and 7 of the 1965 World Series), Clayton Kershaw (Game 2 of the 2020 NLWC) and Blake Snell (Game 1 of the 2025 NLCS).  Koufax, Kershaw and Ohtani are three of 11 within the entire contingent to have the twin lines in a clincher.  

10+ Ks, 0 Runs in a Postseason Clincher

1908 WS, G5         Orval Overall for the Cubs

1965 WS, G7         Sandy Koufax for the Dodgers

1997 ALCS, G6      Mike Mussina for the Orioles (in a loss)

2012 ALDS, G5     Justin Verlander for the Tigers

2013 ALDS, G5     Justin Verlander for the Tigers

2014 NLWC           Madison Bumgarner for the Giants

2015 NLWC           Jake Arrieta for the Cubs

2016 NLWC           Noah Syndergaard for the Mets (in a loss)

2020 NLWC, G2    Clayton Kershaw for the Dodgers

2025 ALWC, G3    Cam Schlittler for the Yankees

2025 NLCS, G4     Shohei Ohtani for the Dodgers

~Ohtani’s 75 Game Score ties for the ninth best for any Dodgers clincher.  The full complement is given due below, organized by Game Score.

88    Sandy Koufax (1965 WS, G7), Clayton Kershaw (2020 NLWC, G2)

80    Orel Hershiser (1988 NLCS, G7)

79    Sandy Koufax (1963 WS, G4)

78    Don Sutton (1974 NLCS, G4), Jerry Reuss (1981 NLDS, G5)

77    Fernando Valenzuela (1981 NLCS, G5)

76    Orel Hershiser (1988 WS, G5)

75    Tommy John (1977 NLCS, G4), Shohei Ohtani (2025 NLCS, G4)

~Thanks in large part to the starters*, the Dodgers’ pitching staff finished this 2025 NLCS with a 1.00 ERA, tied for the lowest for any team in an LCS since 1985, when the format for the round expanded to a best-of-seven scenario.  The lowest 10:

1.00    1990 Athletics in a four-game sweep

1.00    2025 Dodgers in a four-game sweep

1.15    1995 Braves in a four-game sweep

1.25    2019 Nationals in a four-game sweep

1.38    2012 Tigers in a four-game sweep 

1.43    2016 Indians in a 4-1 series win

1.50    2022 Astros in a four-game sweep

1.57    1991 Braves in a 4-3 series win

1.64    1995 Indians in a 4-2 series win

1.64    2017 Dodgers in a 4-1 series win

*Starters Blake Snell (0 ER in 8.0 IP), Yoshinobu Yamamoto (9.0 IP, 1 ER), Tyler Glasnow (5.2 IP, 1 ER) and Ohtani (6.0 IP, 0 ER) combined for a 0.63 ERA.

The 2024-2025 Dodgers are the 16th example in the Divisional Era of a team winning back-to-back (and beyond) pennants.  

4 in a Row

1998-2001 Yankees

3 in a Row

1969-1971 Orioles

1972-1974 Athletics

1976-1978 Yankees

1988-1990 Athletics

2 in a Row    

1975-1976 Reds

1977-1978 Dodgers

1991-1992 Braves

1992-1993 Blue Jays

1995-1996 Braves

2008-2009 Phillies

2010-2011 Rangers

2014-2015 Royals

2017-2018 Dodgers

2021-2022 Astros

2024-2025 Dodgers

The Dodgers’ 23 pennants since 1903 (the World Series Era) are the second most in the Majors, after the Yankees’ 41.  

Milwaukee’s Jackson Chourio singled and doubled to close out his postseason – the second of his career.  The 21-year-old goes into the offseason owning a .341/.362/.682/1.044 slash line in 12 career games, with 15 hits (seven for extra bases) and 11 RBI.  

~Among all players whose first 12 postseason games yielded at least 36 plate appearances (there are 889 of them), Chourio’s 1.044 OPS comes in as the 62nd best, between Bob Watson’s 1.049 and Mickey Cochrane’s 1.041.  The top five arrive in this fashion:

1.557   Carlos Beltrán

1.487   Bernie Williams

1.441   Fernando Tatis, Jr.

1.438   Nomar Garciaparra

1.384   Will Clark

~Among these same 889, Chourio’s .682 slugging percentage ranks as the 44th best, between Gary Sheffield’s .686 and Billy Hatcher’s .681.

~For all players before turning 22 years old, Chourio’s 15 postseason hits are the seventh most, his seven extra-base hits tie for the third most, his 11 RBI are the fifth most and his 30 total bases tie for the fifth most. 

*Mariners v. Blue Jays, ALCS Game 5*

Eugenio Suárez gave his Mariners a 1-0 lead with a solo homer in the second and then in the eighth, broke a 2-2 tie with a grand slam.  It was enough to push Seattle past Toronto, 6-2, and give the Mariners a 3-2 advantage in the best-of-seven series. 

~The third baseman linked up with 30 others as batters to produce a multi-homer postseason line with at least five RBI.  As part of the (now) 31, Suárez and Edgar Martínez (1995 ALDS, G4) have the Mariners represented.  

~Suárez’s four-run, four-bagger in the eighth marked the 87th grand slam in postseason history.  It was the seventh to come in the eighth inning or later and give the swinger’s team the lead.  Those big-time swings on swings:

Grand Slams in the 8th Inning or Later to Give Team the Lead

1995 ALDS, G4     Edgar Martínez breaks a 6-6 tie in the bottom of the eighth for the Mariners

1999 NLDS, G1     Edgardo Alfonzo breaks a 4-4 tie in the top of the ninth for the Mets

2011 ALCS, G2      Nelson Cruz breaks a 3-3 tie in the 11th with a walk-off for the Rangers

2016 NLCS, G1      Miguel Montero breaks a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the eighth for the Cubs

2019 NLDS, G5     Howie Kendrick breaks a 3-3 tie in the top of the 10th for the Nationals

2024 WS, G1         Freddie Freeman walks off with his Dodgers down 3-2 in the 10th

2025 ALCS, G5      Eugenio Suárez breaks a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the eighth for the Mariners

In the victory, Cal Raleigh doubled and homered (his longball coming in the eighth to tie the score at two).

~Raleigh has four home runs this postseason, tying Jay Buhner (1995) for the second most by any Mariner in any single postseason, after Ken Griffey, Jr.’s six in 1995.  

~Raleigh has six extra-base hits this postseason, tying Mike Cameron (2001) for the third most by any Mariner in any single postseason, after Ken Griffey, Jr.’s eight in 1995 and Jay Buhner’s seven in 1995.

~Raleigh is one of 19 Mariners to accumulate at least 40 plate appearances in any single postseason (there are a number of others from this 2025 team here, too).  The top five in all of the slash categories currently looks like this.

Highest BA – Mariners With at least 40 PA in a Postseason

.421   Ichiro Suzuki in 2001

.383    Jay Buhner in 1995

.364    Ken Griffey, Jr. in 1995

.333    Cal Raleigh in 2025

.325    Josh Naylor in 2025

Highest OBP – Mariners With at least 40 PA in a Postseason

.488    Ichiro Suzuki in 2001

.442    Ken Griffey, Jr. in 1995

.435    Cal Raleigh in 2025

.434    Edgar Martínez in 1995

.431    Jay Buhner in 1995

Highest SLG – Mariners With at least 40 PA in a Postseason

.818    Ken Griffey, Jr. in 1995

.702    Jay Buhner in 1995

.692    Cal Raleigh in 2025

.525    Josh Naylor in 2025

.523    Edgar Martínez in 1995

Highest OPS – Mariners With at least 40 PA in a Postseason

1.260    Ken Griffey, Jr. in 1995

1.134    Jay Buhner in 1995

1.127    Cal Raleigh in 2025

.962      Ichiro Suzuki in 2001

.957      Edgar Martínez in 1995

Seattle’s Randy Arozarena stole his fifth base of the 2025 postseason, tying Vince Coleman (1995) for the most thefts in any single postseason by a Mariner.  

Making his third start of the 2025 postseason, Blue Jays righty Kevin Gausman allowed a run in five-and-two-thirds innings.  Gausman owns a 2.12 ERA for his work this year (although these three starts have only worked up to 17.0 innings).  11 Blue Jays pitchers have made at least three starts in a postseason, with the ERAs running from a low of 1.71 (Juan Guzmán in 1992) to a high of 7.43 (Jack Morris in 1992).  Gausman’s 2.12 comes in third, between Marco Estrada’s 2.01 in 2016 and Estrada’s 2.33 in 2015.

Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. and George Springer each doubled in Toronto’s loss, each two-base hit giving each player eight extra-base hits this postseason.  Eight is not enough to reign as the best a Blue Jay has ever done, with those two trailing Paul Molitor’s 10 in 1993 and Devon White’s nine that same year.

~For Guerrero, the night (which also included two intentional walks) pushed his OPS to 1.495 for this postseason.  For all players with at least 40 trips to the plate in a single postseason*, that 1.495 currently has the Blue Jays’ first baseman looking up at three superiors:  Barry Bonds (1.559 in 2002), Carlos Beltrán (1.557 in 2004) and Rickey Henderson (1.509 in 1989).

*Before 1971, no player qualifies by this standard.  

~For Springer, the double gave him 42 career extra-base hits in the postseason, with number 42 breaking him out of a tie with David Ortiz for the fifth most.  Springer needs six more to reach the next occupied rung, shared by Manny Ramírez and Jose Altuve.

Thanks to Baseball Reference and its extraordinary research database, Stathead, for help in assembling this piece.