When the Dodgers clinched the NLDS victory over the Padres in game 5 last year, the celebration was raucous and loud. This year’s celebration was a bit more tempered, but just as exciting nonetheless. The Dodgers survived 11 grueling innings to defeat the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 in game 4 of the NLDS. They did so in the most unlikely fashion, a walk-off E1 when Philadelphia reliever Orion Kerkering was not able to handle a grounder back to the box from Andy Pages, dropping the ball and then picking it up and throwing over catcher J.T. Realmuto’s head as Hyeseong Kim scored the winning run. The Dodgers will play either the Cubs, or the Brewers in the NLCS.
Runs are hard to come by in the postseason and both teams had trouble scoring throughout game 4 of the NLDS Thursday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. Philadelphia’s starter, Cristopher Sanchez pitched excellently, allowing just one earned run on five hits with five Ks across 6 innings pitched. The Dodgers had no extra-base hits against Sanchez or any other Philadelphia pitcher. The Phillie’s pitching plans were simple, let Sanchez go as long as he can and then give the ball to closer Jhoan Duran. That plan would have worked except for the Dodger pitchers were just as good.
Dodger’s starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow matched Sanchez punch-out for punch-out. The tall right hander tossed six shutout innings, allowing just two hits, three walks and striking out eight. The first run of the game did not score until the top of the seventh when Emmet Sheehan gave up a Relamuto single followed by a Nick Castellanos double to put the Phillies up 1-0.
The Dodgers answered back immediately in the bottom half of the seventh. With Sanchez still on the mound, Alex Call worked a walk, and Enrique Hernandez singled to left. Philadelphia brings in Duran and he gets Pages to ground out, advancing the runners to second and third. Shohei Ohtani (Who has had a terrible series with the bat) is intentionally walked to load the bases. Mookie Betts works the count and draws a walk to force in the run to tie the game. The Dodgers could have scored more, but Duran strikes out Teo to escape the jam.
TIE GAME! pic.twitter.com/6T6z2pOrXd
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 10, 2025
Roki Sasaki came out of the Dodger’s bullpen in the top of the eighth, and ended up pitching three scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Sasaki, Glasnow, Sheehan, Alex Vesia, were the stars of this game. Dodger pitching was fantastic.
Six up, six down for Roki! pic.twitter.com/33bMiW9SsV
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 10, 2025
In the bottom of the eleventh, with each team running low on available pitchers, Tommy Edman’s one-out single to left gives the Dodgers a bit of an edge. Kim pinch-runs for Edman due to his ankle injury. After Smith lines out, Max Muncy’s ground ball single into center field sends Kim to third. The Phillies remove Jesus Luzardo to bring in Kerkering. Eventually Kike walks, and Pages comes to the plate with the bases loaded. With the runners going, Page’s grounder back to the box probably should have been the final out of the inning. Kerkering dropped the ball and then picked it up and threw wide and high, as Kim scored the winning run. It was unlikely he had a play at the plate, but he definitely had a play at first. The Dodgers put pressure on the Phils. That’s baseball.
A WALK-OFF TO MOVE ON TO THE NLCS. pic.twitter.com/JPveGti3Nu
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 10, 2025
The Dodgers advance to the NLCS. They’ll either open up at home against Chicago, or fly to Milwaukee. The Phillies were a tough team, no joke. The Dodgers persevered. I’ll see you guys in the NLCS. Congratulations Dodgers!
