The Los Angeles Dodgers reached the National League Championship Series for the eighth time in thirteen seasons after defeating the Philadelphia Phillies 2–1 in an 11-inning thriller on Thursday night at Dodger Stadium. Betting markets entered the game with the Dodgers listed as moderate favorites, generally around -140. At the same time, the Phillies were priced near +120, reflecting both Los Angeles’ home-field advantage and its deeper pitching staff. Those expectations proved accurate, though the decisive moment came in an unexpected and dramatic fashion.
The marathon contest ended on a misplayed comebacker by Phillies reliever Orion Kerkering, whose errant throw past home plate allowed pinch-runner Hyeseong Kim to score the winning run. With two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the 11th, Andy Pages hit a broken-bat grounder that rolled directly toward Kerkering. Instead of flipping the ball to first base for the routine out, the young reliever attempted a hurried sidearm throw to catcher J.T. Realmuto. The ball sailed up the third-base line, enabling Kim to cross the plate and securing a walk-off victory for Los Angeles.
Kerkering remained crouched on the mound after the error, visibly stunned. His manager, Rob Thomson, later put an arm around him in the dugout, emphasizing that the moment overwhelmed the 24-year-old. Realmuto confirmed he had directed Kerkering toward first base, but the pitcher chose the riskier throw home. The Phillies’ season ended on the type of play pitchers practice repeatedly, a routine fielding sequence that became the turning point of the series.
The game had been defined by pitching brilliance on both sides. Dodgers starter Tyler Glasnow was sharp over six innings, allowing two hits and striking out eight. Rookie reliever Roki Sasaki followed with three innings of hitless, high-velocity work, averaging nearly 100 mph on his fastball. Emmet Sheehan and Alex Vesia closed the night with a combined one hit allowed, completing a dominant four-hitter for the Los Angeles staff.
Philadelphia’s pitching matched that intensity for much of the night. The Phillies broke a scoreless tie in the seventh inning on Nick Castellanos’ RBI double off Sheehan. The lead, however, was short-lived. In the bottom half of the inning, reliever Jhoan Duran walked Mookie Betts with the bases loaded, forcing in the tying run.
Both teams had chances late, but Los Angeles broke through in the 11th. Tommy Edman singled and advanced to third on Max Muncy’s two-out line drive that slipped past Trea Turner’s diving attempt. After Kerkering walked Kiké Hernández to load the bases, Pages—who had been mired in a 1-for-23 postseason slump—hit the fateful ground ball that resulted in the game-ending error.
The outcome marked only the second time in postseason history that a series ended on a walk-off error. The previous instance occurred exactly nine years earlier when a misplayed relay throw allowed Toronto to defeat Texas and complete a Division Series sweep.
The Phillies, wearing their retro powder-blue uniforms for the second straight game, were eliminated in the Division Series for the second consecutive season. Despite strong innings from their bullpen and timely defense earlier in the night, the late miscue overshadowed their work and ended their postseason run.
For the Dodgers, the win secured a 3–1 series triumph and extended their postseason success at home. The defending World Series champions have relied heavily on elite pitching throughout the playoffs, and Thursday’s contest emphasized that formula once again. Glasnow praised the team effort, noting that contributions came from all parts of the roster in the pressure-packed environment.
Los Angeles now moves on to face either the Chicago Cubs or the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS. With a pitching staff performing at peak form and momentum building, the Dodgers are positioned as early favorites to continue their pursuit of consecutive pennants.
