Cincinnati Reds at Los Angeles Dodgers FULL GAME MLB Playoffs LIVE Stream, Reaction, Scoreboard
Trace Fowler and Nick Kirby will be LIVE for the FULL GAME of Game 2 of the Wild Card Series between the Cincinnati Reds and LA Dodgers.
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LOS ANGELES — As the October chill settles over Dodger Stadium, the Cincinnati Reds stare down elimination in Game 2 of the National League Wild Card Series. Down 1-0 after a 10-5 drubbing in Tuesday’s opener, the Reds must summon every ounce of their gritty, late-season surge to extend this best-of-three clash against the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. It’s a David-vs.-Goliath narrative scripted in the stars: Cincinnati, the plucky sixth seed who clawed into the playoffs on the final day of the regular season, versus the Dodgers, whose half-billion-dollar payroll and star-studded roster make them perennial juggernauts. First pitch is set for 9:08 p.m. ET on ESPN, with the winner advancing to face the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS.
The Reds’ path to October was nothing short of miraculous. Finishing 83-79, they edged out the New York Mets in a tiebreaker thanks to a 4-2 head-to-head edge, capping a frantic final week that saw them win seven of their last 11. This marks Cincinnati’s first postseason dance since 2020, when a shortened season gifted them a Wild Card berth but little else. Manager Terry Francona, the grizzled veteran with two World Series rings from his Cleveland days, preaches resilience. “We’ve been in foxholes before,” he said post-Game 1. “This group’s got fight.” Yet, the regular-season script against L.A. was unforgiving: The Dodgers claimed five of six meetings, outscoring the Reds 30-15 across two series. Cincinnati’s lone victory came July 30 at Great American Ball Park, a 5-2 thriller sparked by a late Spencer Steer double.
That narrow escape feels like ancient history now, with all three potential games unfolding under the palm trees of Chavez Ravine.
Game 1 exposed the Reds’ vulnerabilities while hinting at their potential. Starter Hunter Greene, the 25-year-old flamethrower who posted a 2.76 ERA in the regular season, imploded early, surrendering five runs — including three homers — over three innings on 100-mph heat that Shohei Ohtani turned into a 117.7 mph rocket.
The Dodgers’ offense erupted for five long balls on the night, with Ohtani’s two-shot performance (including a 454-foot bomb off reliever Connor Phillips) underscoring his dual-threat dominance: 55 homers and a 2.87 ERA in 14 mound appearances this year.
Cincinnati’s bullpen, taxed after Greene’s short outing, leaked oil, allowing five more runs. But the Reds’ spirit flickered in the late innings: Elly De La Cruz’s RBI groundout and Tyler Stephenson’s double trimmed the deficit to 8-2 in the seventh, followed by a three-run eighth capped by Ben Rortvedt’s single.
They clawed within 10-5, forcing L.A. to sweat and burning a chunk of the Dodgers’ high-leverage arms. “We showed we can battle back,” Steer said. That momentum could prove crucial, as Francona noted the Dodgers’ relievers looked “a bit gassed” by the end.For Game 2, Cincinnati turns to Zack Littell, the 29-year-old righty acquired midseason from Tampa Bay. Littell went 10-8 with a 3.81 ERA across 32 starts, blending command (1.7 walks per nine) with occasional vulnerability to the long ball.
Since joining the Reds, he’s 2-0 with a 4.39 ERA in 10 outings, thriving in his last four starts by allowing just nine runs over 21 innings. Against L.A., he’s 1-1 lifetime in relief (3.86 ERA over 14 appearances), but never as a starter.
Littell’s sinker-induced grounders could neutralize Dodger Stadium’s short porches, but facing a lineup that slugged .500 in Game 1 — led by Teoscar Hernández’s two-run jack — will test his 1.22 WHIP.