If you're a fan of strong pitching, Game 2 of the NLDS between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Los Angeles Dodgers was the game for you. The game pitted two of the league's top lefty starters against each other. For the Dodgers, 2-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell got the ball.
For the Phillies, their offseason acquisition, Jesús Luzardo, took the mound. In his first season with the Phillies, Luzardo set new career highs in both innings pitched (183.2) and strikeouts (216). His new pitch, the sweeper, was one of the best in baseball. Opponents hit just .178 against the pitch.
Pitchers duel
Things looked like they could get iffy in the first inning for Luzardo. After striking out Shohei Ohtani, Luzardo allowed a single to Mookie Betts. He followed that up with a walk to Teoscar Hernández. After that, Luzardo locked things down. He got a lineout off the bat of Freddie Freeman and struck out Tommy Edman.
Luzardo was brilliant for the next five innings. He retired 17 Dodgers in a row, inducing a ton of weak contact. He even flashed the leather on a comebacker for a lineout in the fifth inning. The problem was that Blake Snell matched him step for step.
The Phillies couldn't hit Snell for over four innings. They got runners on via the walk, but no balls in play for a hit. It wasn't until Edmundo Sosa had a single in the fifth that the Phillies had their first hit of the night. In the sixth, they got their first runner in scoring position when Trea Turner walked and stole 2nd. After a Kyle Schwarber walk, the Phillies couldn't find the answer to bring in a run. Bryce Harper struck out, and Alec Bohm grounded a ball to the third baseman to get the out unassisted.
Dodgers strike first
Things deteriorated quickly from there. Luzardo quickly gave up two hits in the top of the seventh inning to Hernández and Freeman, putting runners on 2nd and 3rd. Orion Kerkering entered the game. He got the first out on a strikeout, then postseason Kiké Hernández appeared.
A broken bat dribbler to the mound led to the first run of the night on a play at the plate. It was reviewed and became a single in the scorebook. After a four-pitch walk, Kerkering got the second out on a pop-up. Will Smith singled, and the runs didn't stop there. Matt Strahm entered and gave up a single to Ohtani. The Dodgers had put up a four-spot on the Phillies.
The Phillies found a spot of offense against Emmet Sheehan in the eighth inning. Max Kepler pinch-hit for Otto Kemp and tripled down the 1st base line. Trea Turner followed with an RBI single, making it 4-1. Schwarber and Harper were unable to contribute to the limited offense.
Jhoan Duran entered the game with his full assortment of theatrics. There were audible boos from the fans. Despite allowing two base runners, Duran got through the inning unschathed.
Phillies fall short
The Dodgers called upon Blake Treinen to close out the game for the Dodgers. For a second, it felt like the ghost of Jonathan Broxton was playing. Alec Bohm, JT Realmuto, and Nick Castellanos all reached base with hits. Suddenly, it was 4-3 Phillies.
After lefty Alex Vesia entered the game, a failed Bryson Stott sac bunt set the tone for the end of the game.
After the game, Manager Rob Thomson explained his reason for bunting. "I liked where our bullpen was as compared to theirs. We play for the tie at home."
Stott's bunt attempted to move Castellanos to third base. Castellanos did not get a great read on the ball, hesitating at first before sprinting to third base. A fantastic play by the Dodgers nailed him at third base, putting an out on the board and removing a runner from scoring position.
Harrison Bader had a pinch-hit single to keep the game rolling. Kepler was next. With runners at first and second, he grounded a ball to second base. It was not hit hard enough for a double play, but Los Angeles got a pinch-running Weston Wilson out at second base.
Then, with two outs, the Dodgers went back to the bullpen. This time, they went to the man whom many expected to get the ninth, Roki Sasaki. The rookie Sasaki induced a groundball off the bat of Trea Turner, ending the comeback attempt in South Philly.
The Dodgers have now won both NLDS games in Philadelphia. The Phillies have now lost five of their last six home playoff games dating back to the 2023 NLCS.
Aaron Nola will start for the Phillies in Game 3 in LA. Ranger Suarez will be the next option in the bullpen.
NLDS Notes
Turner, Schwarber, and Harper are a combined 2/21 with two singles, one run batted in, and two walks. Turner's RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning came with the Phillies down 4-0. Harper's single in game one of the series came with the Phillies down 5-3.
Luzardo suffered the loss but pitched six quality innings. He went 6.0 innings, allowing three hits, two earned runs, and striking out five in his second playoff outing.
Kerkering allowed two earned runs, as well as two unearned runs, in the seventh. Including the regular season, he has allowed eight inherited runners to score this season. Strahm would allow for Kerkering's final run to score. Strahm has now allowed four runs to cross in the postseason, only one being earned.
Ohtani is now 1/9 in the series with the Phillies. He has struck out six times against Philly's pitching staff.
