Dodgers Outlast Phillies in an Epic 11-Inning Battle, Advance to NLCS After Orion Kerkering’s Costly Blunder

The Los Angeles Dodgers didn’t exactly party like champions Thursday night — at least, not in the loud, champagne-soaked sense. Their subdued celebration inside the clubhouse at Dodger Stadium was more about relief than rapture, as they survived one of the most grueling postseason games in recent memory.

After 11 tense innings, the Dodgers finally emerged victorious, defeating the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 to win the National League Division Series, three games to one. It was a triumph defined by grit, pitching brilliance, and one fateful mistake that will haunt Philadelphia all offseason.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts summed it up best afterward:

“It was a war. It was a battle. It was an instant classic.”

A War of Wills at Chavez Ravine

From the first pitch, it was clear this wasn’t going to be a typical playoff game. The two teams traded blows like heavyweight boxers — every inning tighter than the last.

Dodgers ace Tyler Glasnow and Phillies starter Cristopher Sanchez both delivered six shutout innings, scattering just three hits apiece. What followed was a masterclass in relief pitching — and mental toughness.

The Dodgers unleashed their secret weapon: rookie phenom Roki Sasaki, who was nearly unhittable. Over three perfect innings, Sasaki retired nine straight Phillies batters on 36 pitches, 26 of them strikes. It was the kind of postseason moment that can define a career.

“Oh my gosh, you’re talking about one of the great all-time appearances out of the pen that I can remember,” Roberts said. “He’s just scratching the surface. We couldn’t be more proud of him.”

Meanwhile, the Phillies countered with Jesus Luzardo, who hadn’t pitched in relief in four years. He held firm for five outs before fatigue and fate took over.

The Blunder Heard Around Baseball

By the 11th inning, both teams were running on fumes. The game’s biggest stars — Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Trea Turner, Bryce Harper — had combined for little production. Every pitch, every swing, felt like a potential turning point.

Then came the play that ended it all.

With the bases loaded and two outs, Dodgers rookie Andy Pages, 1-for-24 in the series, hit a weak grounder back toward Phillies reliever Orion Kerkering. It looked routine. The crowd braced for the third out.

Instead, baseball’s cruel unpredictability struck again. Kerkering fumbled the ball, picked it up with his bare hand, then inexplicably threw home — instead of to first base — as Hyeseong Kim sprinted toward the plate.

“I was just so mad at myself,” Pages said. “I saw him grab it and then watched him throw it. But I couldn’t believe he didn’t throw it to first base.”

It didn’t matter. The throw came too late. Kim scored. The Dodgers stormed the field.

While the Dodgers celebrated, Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto could only point helplessly toward first base as the ball rolled to the backstop. Kerkering stood frozen, hands on knees, realizing the nightmare.

“I just thought there’s a faster throw to J.T., a little quicker throw than trying to cross-body it to first,” Kerkering said later, clearly shaken. “So just a horse-(expletive) throw. It’s baseball. Stuff happens.”

Phillies manager Rob Thomson defended his young reliever:

“He just got caught up in the moment a little bit. I feel for him because he’s putting it all on his shoulders. But we win as a team, and we lose as a team.”

Dodgers Show Class — and Compassion

In the Dodgers clubhouse, amid cautious smiles and half-hearted cheers, empathy mingled with celebration.

“You feel bad,” said infielder Miguel Rojas. “But at the end of the day, you know you can be that guy because you play in a sport. It’s part of baseball. It happens.”

Even Freddie Freeman was overheard telling teammates how much he sympathized with Kerkering — understanding too well the weight of postseason pressure.

The win, though, means everything for Los Angeles. They avoided a dreaded trip back to Philadelphia’s raucous Citizens Bank Park for a winner-take-all Game 5 — something Max Muncy said no one wanted.

“You don’t want to go back to Philly,” Muncy said. “You know it’s a very hostile environment. You don’t want to mess with that. You don’t want to make that flight.”

The Emergence of Roki Sasaki

If the night belonged to anyone, it was Roki Sasaki.

The 22-year-old right-hander, who spent the summer struggling to adapt to MLB’s rhythm, looked every bit like the superstar the Dodgers envisioned when they signed him for $6.5 million from Japan’s Chiba Lotte Marines.

He’d opened the season with a shaky 4.72 ERA, lost velocity, and even endured a midseason demotion. But on this night, Sasaki rediscovered his electric fastball — topping 100 mph — and command that had scouts raving.

“I just felt like my fastball velo was back to where it used to be,” Sasaki said. “The command was there. That gave me the confidence to attack.”

Now, with Ohtani, Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Sasaki all healthy, the Dodgers’ rotation looks like the most formidable in baseball.

Glasnow, who pitched six scoreless innings, said Sasaki’s dominance inspired everyone. “He was throwing strikes, super aggressive. It’s extremely impressive. We’ll need him for the rest of the season.”

Focus Shifts to the Next Battle

After five postseason wins in six games, the Dodgers’ path to another World Series title is clear — and they know it. They’ll now await the winner of the Chicago Cubs–Milwaukee Brewers series in the National League Championship Series, where they’ll again be heavy favorites.

The Dodgers’ clubhouse wasn’t wild, but the quiet confidence spoke volumes. They’ve been here before — and they know the mission isn’t complete.

“It feels great,” said Enrique Hernández, beer in hand, “but our goal is to win the World Series. The goal is not to win the NLDS.”

Redemption, Resilience, and Respect

This series had everything: pitching duels, managerial gambles, heartbreak, and heroics. But in the end, it was about resilience — and the fine margins that define October baseball.

For the Dodgers, it was survival. For the Phillies, it was heartbreak.

And for everyone watching, it was a reminder that even the smallest mistake — one rushed throw, one split-second decision — can alter the course of a season.

As Roberts told reporters before leaving the podium, “That’s playoff baseball. One pitch, one play, one moment — it changes everything.”

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