[The day’s MLB games | Real-time updates]
The Los Angeles ballclub placed the Philadelphia team at risk of elimination with a 4-3 victory in the afternoon contest, taking a 2-0 advantage in the best-of-five NLDS.
The Milwaukee team will aim for the same result against the Chicago squad in the evening, following a 9-3 rout of Chicago in Game 1 of their NLDS.
Blake Snell excelled. The Los Angeles batters came alive at a crucial moment. And the sometimes-struggling Los Angeles relief pitchers held on as the Dodgers secured a 4-3 triumph over the Phillies in Game 2, establishing a 2-0 lead in the NLDS.
For the initial six innings, the contest unfolded as a tight pitchers’ battle, with Snell and Phillies starter Jesús Luzardo exchanging strong performances on the mound. Snell prevented any hits until there was only one out left in the fifth inning. Luzardo retired 17 consecutive Dodgers hitters, maintaining a scoreless tie heading into the seventh inning.
[Yahoo Sports TV is available! Enjoy live shows and key moments all day!]
However, Luzardo then faltered. Teoscar Hernández began the inning with a single. Freddie Freeman then hit a double, positioning runners on second and third with no outs. Consequently, the Philly starter’s appearance concluded.
With reliever Orion Kerkering now pitching, Kiké Hernández once again delivered in the playoffs, a familiar occurrence for him. He drove Teoscar Hernández home on a fielder’s choice, safely reaching first as the play at home plate was unsuccessful. The Dodgers then loaded the bases and scored them all with a two-run single by Will Smith and an RBI hit from Shohei Ohtani, his first hit in the series.
Nonetheless, no lead is ever completely secure with the Dodgers relief pitchers, and the situation became tense near the end. The Phillies scored a run in the eighth, and then two more off Blake Treinen in the ninth, when Nick Castellanos reached second with no outs after hitting a two-run double, narrowing the Dodgers’ lead to 4-3. Ultimately, Alex Vesia and Roki Sasaki combined to extinguish the threat and secure the final three outs of the game without conceding further runs.
The series now transitions to Los Angeles, where the Dodgers will have two opportunities to conclude the best-of-five series on their home field. Game 3 is scheduled for Wednesday (9:08 p.m. ET/TBS, TruTV). — Jason Owens
Los Angeles Dodgers 4, Philadelphia Phillies 3
Chicago Cubs vs. Milwaukee Brewers: live on TBS/truTV/HBO Max
MLB Division Series live blog
Stay tuned to Yahoo Sports for continuous updates, highlights, and more from Game 2 of the NLDS:
