After the disappointment of last night, the Dodgers got their second crack at closing out the NLDS against the Phillies today. The game ended up being a pitchers’ duel between Tyler Glasnow and Cristopher Sanchez, who both didn’t allow a run through six innings. However, things got messy in the 7th as both teams exchanged runs, which was maintained into extra innings. For the pen, it was Roki Sasaki giving three perfect innings and Alex Vesia coming up huge in the last inning, setting things up for a brutal walk-off error by Orion Kerkering to hand the Dodgers the 2-1 win.
NLCS, here come the Dodgers.
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Phillies ace Cristopher Sanchez was on the bump, coming off an NLDS Game 1 start where he dominated for five innings, but faltered enough in the 6th to leave the door open for a Dodgers comeback.
Things started bleak for the bats, as Sanchez took just seven pitches to get the side in order in the 1st. But Freddie Freeman started the 2nd with a single, and the Dodgers looked to be in business when Tommy Edman hit one into the gap, but Max Kepler robbed him with a diving catch.
Mad Max at it again ?? pic.twitter.com/96GjbBcKWl
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) October 9, 2025
Any thoughts of a rally were quickly dismissed when Sanchez got Will Smith to bounce into a 5-4-3 double play despite a 3-1 count.
The 3rd saw the Dodgers get their first real chance, as Alex Call led the inning off by getting hit in the ankle.
I’ll take it, but man that is not where you want to get hit, lol.
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— Chad Moriyama (@chadmoriyama.bsky.social) October 9, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Unfortunately, when Enrique Hernandez followed by grounding a ball up the middle, Bryson Stott was there with a diving stop to get Call at second.
Bryson Stott makes a smooth play at second for the force out ?? pic.twitter.com/5VU7pjgRkU
— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2025
A strikeout followed to put Sanchez on the verge of ending the inning, but when Shohei Ohtani hit a grounder to Alec Bohm at third he just whiffed on it and allowed Enrique to get to third. No matter, as Mookie Betts then hit the first pitch for a relatively soft grounder to first, which Bryce Harper speared on a diving play to end that threat.
The 4th had no such drama due to Sanchez getting the side in order on just 11 pitches, and though he had to work a bit harder in the 5th, he managed to strand a one-out Alex Call single. Another solid defensive play, this time from Trea Turner, kept the Dodgers from a real chance.
Lay out, Trea! pic.twitter.com/Yqxram1c0r
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) October 9, 2025
After a strikeout of Shohei began the 6th and continued his struggles, Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hernandez came up with back-to-back singles. The Dodgers had their best threat of the game, but Freddie then grounded up the middle for a force out of Teoscar at second, and Tommy nubbed a comebacker to Sanchez for the final out.
Smooth operator pic.twitter.com/diT7IeJvCn
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) October 9, 2025
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Tyler Glasnow was on the bump for the Dodgers, starting for the first time this postseason, and making only his second appearance — his first was an NLDS Game 1 showing in relief in which he went 1.2 key scoreless innings but did give up four baserunners.
Glasnow started the game by getting into a bit of a jam, though it wasn’t all his fault. After getting a strikeout to start in the 1st, Kyle Schwarber hooked a curve down the right-field line for a double. However, Glasnow rebounded with a groundout that just advanced the runner to third, then issued a four-pitch walk to Alec Bohm — that actually included two strikes he didn’t get from the umpire — to corner the runners before getting another strikeout to end that threat.
Tyler Glasnow escapes the 1st inning jam with a 99 MPH heater ? pic.twitter.com/DYQk791hjQ
— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2025
In the 2nd, he took just 10 pitches for a clean frame that included a strikeout, and needed only seven pitches to get a 1-2-3 inning in the 3rd that also notched a strikeout.
The 4th was a little less smooth as a one-out walk to Bohm after getting ahead 0-2 was followed by a hard shot to Tommy Edman at second, which required a sprawling play to get the lead runner. Another hard shot followed, this time down the third-base line, but Enrique Hernandez made a sprawling stop of his own and threw in time to first to end the inning.
Defense is on full display at Dodger Stadium ? pic.twitter.com/jWfcjjEmig
— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2025
Things began with frustration in the 5th, as Glasnow didn’t get a 2-2 call on a check swing, which led to a lead-off walk to Kepler. Thankfully, it didn’t come back to haunt him, as he got back-to-back strikeouts after that. On one of them, Kepler did steal second, but Glasnow got Trea Turner to bounce out and end the inning.
Dunno.
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— Chad Moriyama (@chadmoriyama.bsky.social) October 9, 2025 at 1:21 PM
In the 6th, Glasnow continued to roll, allowing just a two-out single while striking out a pair.
Tyler shuts ’em down for his eighth strikeout of the game! pic.twitter.com/Kd74M6sqrZ
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 9, 2025
Surprisingly, that was the end of the road for Glasnow, but he certainly delivered for the team: 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 8 K, 83 Pitches.
Tyler Glasnow’s stuff was disgusting ?? https://t.co/rmT8Gt7DH2 pic.twitter.com/n01mSkV19j
— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2025
Tyler Glasnow allows just two hits and three walks while striking out eight over six dominant innings before exiting with cramping. pic.twitter.com/PsB1WR9CJK
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) October 10, 2025
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With the game still knotted at zero, Dave turned to the pen in the 7th in the form of Emmet Sheehan. Here’s a first guess of that decision:
We don’t know how Glasnow feels, but taking him out at 83 pitches when he’s been dominant feels insane.
— Chad Moriyama (@chadmoriyama.bsky.social) October 9, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Sheehan started by allowing a Realmuto single on an 0-2 pitch, but then got Kepler to bounce one at Freddie. It looked like a double play, but after getting the force out at second, Sheehan seemed to be late covering the bag and whiffed on catching the return throw from Mookie for an error.
Worse yet, the ball went into the dugout to put Kepler at second, and that was taken advantage of when Nick Castellanos ripped a 1-2 fastball down the line in left for a double to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead.
Casty clutch! pic.twitter.com/wllnB97rFM
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) October 10, 2025
He got a flyout from Bryson Stott
I dunno, Dodgers made the first managerial and player mistake. That’s what it is.
— Chad Moriyama (@chadmoriyama.bsky.social) October 9, 2025 at 2:09 PM
For the Phillies, Sanchez was back on the mound in their 7th, and things started as they have been going all game when Will Smith hit a ball up the middle and Trea made an outstanding diving play to get the first out.
OMG no way Trea pic.twitter.com/Ij2GzF7Lhj
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) October 10, 2025
That would prove huge, as Alex Call then drew a walk on a 3-2 count thanks to a questionable call on a 2-2 count, and Enrique Hernandez followed with a single to put a pair on.
Manager Rob Thomson then called on closer Jhoan Duran, and Dave Roberts pinch-ran Justin Dean for Call at second. Dave opted to let the struggling Pages face Duran with Max Muncy still on the bench, and he at least stayed out of the double play by bouncing one to first to advance both runners.
Maybe it worked out in a way since Pages didn’t hit into the double play, but why was he about to pinch-hit Rojas for him the other game and didn’t hit Muncy there? Don’t get it.
— Chad Moriyama (@chadmoriyama.bsky.social) October 9, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Thomson then walked Ohtani intentionally to load the bases, and Mookie put together a stellar at-bat, swinging only at strikes while ahead and taking every borderline ball en route to drawing the game-tying walk on a 3-2 count.
TIE GAME! pic.twitter.com/6T6z2pOrXd
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 10, 2025
1-1.
Unfortunately, Teoscar Hernandez followed by doing the exact opposite. He got ahead 1-0 and then swung at three balls in a row to strikeout and end that huge chance.
Jhoan Duran leaves ’em loaded! pic.twitter.com/ijPY4ygYn7
— MLB (@MLB) October 10, 2025
Now in the 8th, Dave turned to Roki Sasaki against the heart of the order, and he got flyouts from Schwarber and Harper before getting a groundout from Bohm to make it a 1-2-3 frame on eight pitches. On the other end, Duran then settled, taking just nine pitches to strikeout a pair in the 8th.
Roki came back out for the 9th, getting a 10-pitch inning and another strikeout as he was cruising. Surprisingly, Matt Strahm came out for the Phillies in the bottom half, and he got a clean frame, including a pinch-hitting Max Muncy for Justin Dean.
BONUS BASEBALL
Roki was at it again in the 10th, and this time he had to labor a bit through 18 pitches but continued to set the Phillies down in order. He was nine up and nine down and essentially won the game for the Dodgers.
Six up, six down for Roki! pic.twitter.com/33bMiW9SsV
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 10, 2025
Talk about locked in 🔐🤣
Roki Sasaki didn’t take his glove off in between innings in the Dodgers dugout https://t.co/XABekZdCF1 pic.twitter.com/OTkLVNNOdL
— MLB (@MLB) October 10, 2025
Roki Sasaki was unhittable tonight 😳🔥 pic.twitter.com/Jy1aZv6mjj
— MLB (@MLB) October 10, 2025
With their backs against the wall, Thomson went to prospective Game 5 starter Jesus Luzardo in the 10th, and he looked sharp in striking out a pair in a clean frame.
Jesús Luzardo gets Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hernández to force an 11th inning at Dodger Stadium 🔥 pic.twitter.com/k1XfHJmwAm
— MLB (@MLB) October 10, 2025
Now the Dodgers pen was looking dicey, as Alex Vesia had to enter, and there was some traffic when he issued a one-out walk to Harper. With two down and facing a pinch-hitting Harrison Bader for Marsh, Vesia uncorked a wild pitch to advance Harper to second, and won an epic 10-pitch battle for a strikeout to give the Dodgers another chance.
ALEX. VESIA. pic.twitter.com/OBEGfEKR20
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 10, 2025
Things were … messy. After an initial out, Luzardo gave up a single to Edman, who exited for pinch-running Hyeseong Kim. After a lineout, Max Muncy came through left-on-left with a single to corner the runners. Surprisingly, Thomson went to the pen in Orion Kerkering to face Enrique. After Muncy got to second on indifference, Enrique worked the count full and drew a walk to load things up. That led to Andy Pages coming up and getting jammed on a fastball for a comebacker. However, Kerkering bobbled it and then panicked, throwing wildly to home for a walk-off win.
A WALK-OFF TO MOVE ON TO THE NLCS. pic.twitter.com/JPveGti3Nu
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 10, 2025
The @Dodgers are on their way back to the #NLCS 😱 pic.twitter.com/8HpYgPF07V
— MLB (@MLB) October 10, 2025
This is the third walk-off win in a #Postseason clincher in Dodgers franchise history (also 1978 NLCS Game 4, 2021 NLWC). pic.twitter.com/fwafZxLHFk
— MLB (@MLB) October 10, 2025
It’s all over at Chavez Ravine 🔥 #CLINCHED
(MLB x @BudweiserUSA) pic.twitter.com/W3mVVBYq13
— MLB (@MLB) October 10, 2025
The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. pic.twitter.com/rJ4YGeyOX4
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 10, 2025
Multiple angles of the @Dodgers’ walk-off win courtesy of @Mastercard #BallparkCam! pic.twitter.com/29W7zqNqsj
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) October 10, 2025
Speaking of revisiting things later, let’s revisit every pitch from Roki Sasaki in the NLDS! https://t.co/zT7ErL7T65 pic.twitter.com/Ba389FDCXq
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) October 10, 2025
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A 3-1 NLDS win.
The next game for the Dodgers will be Game 1 of the NLCS at a TBD time against either the Cubs or Brewers on October 13th on TBS.
Celebration post coming!
