In a thrilling encounter at Dodger Stadium, the Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers faced off in a tense game that showcased the intensity of postseason baseball. Both teams remained scoreless through several innings, each pushing a single run across the plate before heading into extra innings. What ensued was one of the wildest endings in recent memory, culminating in a dramatic 2-1 victory for the Dodgers and a 3-1 triumph in the NL Division Series.
In the 11th inning, with the game hanging in the balance, Orion Kerkering made a critical error that would seal the game for Los Angeles. After mishandling a bases-loaded comebacker from Andy Pages with two outs, Kerkering's throw sailed past catcher J.T. Realmuto and allowed pinch-runner Hyeseong Kim to score. “That was a nail-biter,” exclaimed Dodgers catcher Will Smith during the postgame celebration. “They cracked. We didn’t.”
As the ball flew past Realmuto's glove, the crowd of 50,563 erupted in jubilation. Kim, who initially ran past home plate, quickly turned back to touch it, securing the victory for the Dodgers. “I was surprised he threw it home,” Kim commented through a translator. “I just ran as hard as I could.”
Following the game, Kerkering, visibly distraught, hung his head in disappointment. “Just hit off my foot,” he explained. “Once the pressure got to me, I thought there’s a little faster throw to J.T. than trying to cross-body it to Bryce (Harper at first). So just a horses—- throw.” This moment marked a painful chapter for the young reliever, who received support from Phillies manager Rob Thomson. “He just got caught up in the moment a little bit,” Thomson said. “I feel for him because he’s putting it all on his shoulders.”
Interestingly, this was the second postseason series to conclude on a walk-off error, per the Elias Sports Bureau. Exactly nine years prior, a similar mishap by Texas second baseman Rougned Odor allowed Josh Donaldson to score and gave the Toronto Blue Jays a dramatic win in the AL Division Series. This latest error marked the third time the Dodgers ended a postseason series with a walk-off win, following memorable moments in 1978 and 2021.
Despite holding the Dodgers at bay for the majority of the game, Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber acknowledged the pressure of the final innings, stating, “They held us at bay for eight innings and we just couldn’t push through there at the end.” The Phillies initially took the lead when Nick Castellanos hit an RBI double in the seventh, but the Dodgers quickly equalized when Jhoan Duran walked Mookie Betts with the bases loaded.
The Dodgers showcased impressive pitching throughout the game, with rookie Roki Sasaki contributing three innings of hitless relief. Sasaki's fastball averaged an impressive 99.5 mph, helping the team to limit the Phillies to just four hits. “Just felt like my fastball velo was back to where it used to be,” Sasaki noted. Tyler Glasnow, Emmet Sheehan, and winning pitcher Alex Vesia also played critical roles in maintaining the Dodgers' dominance on the mound.
As the Dodgers advance to the NL Championship Series against either the Chicago Cubs or Milwaukee Brewers, they continue their pursuit of another championship title. Meanwhile, the Phillies face another early exit from the postseason, having been knocked out in the Division Series for the second consecutive year.
