Dodgers complete Tokyo Series sweep with win over Cubs behind Kike Hernandez's big day

The Los Angeles Dodgers completed a two-game expanse of the Chicago Cubs successful the Tokyo Series connected Wednesday, winning 6-3 successful the Tokyo Dome with the crippled broadcast connected FOX Sports. 

The Dodgers, contempt not having Freddie Freeman (ribs) and Mookie Betts (illness) successful the starting lineup, jumped connected Cubs’ starter Justin Steele early. 

In the 2nd inning, Max Muncy crushed a hanging breaking shot for a double, to acceptable up the Dodgers with runners connected 2nd and 3rd basal with 1 out. Dodgers catcher Will Smith scored the archetypal tally of the crippled connected a passed ball, which precocious Muncy to third. Kiké Hernandez past deed a sacrifice alert to halfway tract that scored Muncy, making it 2–0 Dodgers. 

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Los Angeles Dodgers' Enrique Hernández celebrates aft hitting a location tally successful the 4th inning during the shot crippled betwixt the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs successful the MLB Tokyo Series astatine the Tokyo Dome successful Tokyo connected March 19, 2025. (YUICHI YAMAZAKI/AFP via Getty Images)

Following the two-run 2nd inning, the Dodgers struck again successful the 3rd inning erstwhile Tommy Edman deed a precocious fastball into the left-field bleachers for a solo location run, the archetypal location tally of the 2025 MLB season. 

The Dodgers' discourtesy gave starting pitcher Roki Sasaki a bully cushion, arsenic the 23-year-old made his large league debut successful the win. Sasaki pitched 3 innings and gave up 1 tally connected conscionable 1 deed but was erratic arsenic helium walked 5 batters. 

WAS TRADING FOR KYLE TUCKER ENOUGH TO MAKE THE CUBS SERIOUS CONTENDERS?

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Roki Sasaki winds up to present to the Chicago Cubs successful the archetypal inning of an MLB Tokyo Series shot crippled successful Tokyo connected Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

The Cubs' lone tally disconnected Sasaki came successful the bottommost of the 3rd inning, erstwhile close fielder Kyle Tucker walked with the bases loaded, scoring 2nd baseman Jon Berti. 

After the Cubs chopped the shortage to 3-1, the Dodgers went backmost to enactment successful the apical of the 4th inning. Hernandez turned connected an wrong fastball and demolished a two-run location tally into the near tract seats to marque it 5-1. Hernandez had 3 RBI successful the win. 

Steele ended up with the loss, arsenic helium gave up 5 runs crossed 4 innings of enactment successful his play debut. 

The Cubs responded with a tally of their ain successful the bottommost of the 4th inning aft an Ian Happ RBI azygous made it 5-2. 

DODGERS' SHOHEI OHTANI SHINES IN WIN OVER CUBS IN 1ST GAME OF MLB SEASON

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, #17, celebrates his solo location tally with Tommy Edman, #25, successful the 5th inning of an MLB Tokyo Series shot crippled against the Chicago Cubs successful Tokyo connected Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

After scoring 2 runs successful the Dodgers triumph connected Tuesday, Shohei Ohtani joined successful connected the enactment arsenic helium deed a location tally disconnected of Nate Pearson. The location tally was nether reappraisal owed to instrumentality interference, but aft a review, the telephone stood, and the Dodgers took a 6-2 pb successful the apical of the 5th inning. 

Cubs’ shortstop Dansby Swanson doubled successful a tally successful the bottommost of the 5th inning to marque it 6-3, and that is wherever the people would remain. 

The Cubs did endanger successful the ninth inning, arsenic they brought the tying tally up to the sheet earlier Dodgers person Alex Vesia slammed the doorway unopen to clasp connected for the win. Dodgers reliever Landon Knack was credited with the win, arsenic helium pitched 2 scoreless innings successful the sixth and seventh innings, striking retired 3 Cubs hitters. 

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Los Angeles Dodgers alleviation pitcher Alex Vesia, #51, celebrates with catcher Will Smith, #16, aft defeating the Chicago Cubs during the Tokyo Series astatine the Tokyo Dome connected March 19, 2025. (Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images)

With the Tokyo Series sweep, the Dodgers began their World Series rubric defence with a 2-0 start. 

They volition instrumentality to the United States to play a fewer much outpouring grooming games earlier resuming the regular play connected March 27 erstwhile they play the Detroit Tigers. 

The Cubs, similar the Dodgers, volition instrumentality location to play a fewer much outpouring grooming games earlier resuming their regular play against the Arizona Diamondbacks connected March 27, erstwhile they volition anticipation to bounce backmost from their 0-2 start. 

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