Costly Error Ends Philadelphia’s Playoff Run
The Los Angeles Dodgers advanced to the National League Championship Series after a dramatic 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 4, sealed by a walk-off error in the 11th inning. With the bases loaded and two outs, Phillies reliever Orion Kerkering misfired a throw home after fielding a slow roller from Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages, allowing the winning run to score.
The play capped an intense pitchers’ duel that saw both teams locked in a stalemate deep into extra innings. “Once the pressure got to me, I just thought there’s a faster throw to J.T.,” Kerkering admitted afterward. “Just a bad throw.” The mistake ended Philadelphia’s season and sent the Dodgers to their seventh NLCS appearance in ten years.
Pitching Dominates in High-Stakes Duel
Game 4 mirrored the rest of the series — a clash defined by elite pitching. Phillies starter Cristopher Sanchez held Los Angeles scoreless through six innings, relying on his devastating sinker-changeup combination. Opposite him, Dodgers ace Tyler Glasnow delivered a stellar outing in his first postseason start for his hometown team, pitching six shutout innings before exiting with cramps.
Glasnow described the performance as “everything,” adding that pitching for Los Angeles in October had been a lifelong dream. The scoreless duel broke in the seventh when Nick Castellanos doubled to give Philadelphia a 1-0 lead. But the Dodgers rallied in the bottom half when Phillies closer Jhoan Duran issued a bases-loaded walk to Mookie Betts, tying the game at 1-1.
Dodgers’ Bullpen Rises to the Occasion
Los Angeles turned to rookie sensation Roki Sasaki, whose triple-digit fastball and devastating splitter shut down Philadelphia’s lineup. Sasaki retired all nine batters he faced, earning praise from manager Dave Roberts, who called the appearance “one of the great all-time performances out of the bullpen.”
Phillies relievers Duran, Matt Strahm, and Jesus Luzardo kept the team in the game, but the Dodgers’ bullpen proved unbreakable. Alex Vesia struck out Harrison Bader in a 10-pitch battle in the top of the 11th before Los Angeles mounted the decisive rally in the bottom half.
The Final Play Seals the Dodgers’ Fate
Freddie Freeman singled, Max Muncy followed with another hit, and Enrique Hernández drew a walk to load the bases for Pages. Despite struggling throughout the postseason, Pages broke his bat on a slow roller toward Kerkering, whose misjudged throw allowed the winning run to score. The play marked only the second time in postseason history that a series-clinching run came via an error.
For the Phillies, it was another heartbreak in a history marked by crushing postseason exits. For the Dodgers, it was redemption — a triumph over one of baseball’s most dangerous teams and a chance to pursue back-to-back championships. “We knew going into it, it was going to be a dogfight,” Hernández said. “It proved to be that way.”
