The Los Angeles Dodgers narrowly escaped a tense ninth inning to secure a 4-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 2 of the National League Division Series, taking a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series. While Blake Snell’s dominant six innings suggested a comfortable win, the Dodgers’ bullpen turned the final frame into a high-stakes thriller.
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Snell Dominates, But Bullpen Struggles Continue
Vote For Your Favorite Dodgers Duo: Ohtani – Yamamoto, Betts – Freeman, Hernandez – Hernandez
Blake Snell was masterful on the mound, striking out nine and allowing just one hit through six scoreless innings. The offense provided ample support with four runs in the top of the seventh, seemingly putting the game out of reach. Emmet Sheehan pitched a solid seventh and eighth inning but allowed a run in the eighth, setting up a crucial decision for manager Dave Roberts.
Rookie Roki Sasaki, who had been near flawless in his relief appearances—including two postseason saves—was warming up in the seventh inning. Yet, Roberts opted for veteran Blake Treinen, whose September ERA had ballooned to 9.64, despite a solid outing in the Wild Card series. Treinen struggled immediately, allowing three hits and two earned runs in just 12 pitches.
“I thought about it,” Roberts said after the game. “He [Sasaki] hasn’t gone two of three much, at all. Just figuring the run right there, Blake’s pitched some of the biggest outs, innings in the postseason for us. And felt really confident right there. And with [Alex] Vesia behind him, if needed. So I didn’t want to just, kind of, preemptively put [Sasaki] in there. Again, I felt good with who we had with a couple of our highest-leverage relievers.”
Alex Vesia then entered to record two outs, before Roberts finally turned to Sasaki, who promptly got Trea Turner to ground out to second, sealing the win.
Starters Shine Amid Bullpen Uncertainty
The Dodgers’ bullpen woes have been a recurring theme; the team led MLB with 27 blown saves in the 2025 regular season. Key relievers like Treinen and Tanner Scott have struggled to replicate past success, forcing the Dodgers to rely heavily on their starters. In September, starters combined for a 2.09 ERA, with Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani, and Tyler Glasnow dominating opposing lineups.
Series Outlook
Despite offensive struggles from stars Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts, contributions from Teoscar Hernández, Will Smith, and Kiké Hernández have kept the Dodgers ahead. Game 3 shifts to Dodger Stadium, where Yamamoto will take the mound with a chance to put Los Angeles on the doorstep of the NLCS. Yet the Phillies remain a dangerous opponent capable of swinging momentum quickly.
While Roberts’ ninth-inning choice sparked debate among fans and analysts alike, the Dodgers’ resilience in a high-pressure situation underscores why they remain one of baseball’s most formidable postseason teams.