The Los Angeles Dodgers' thrilling walk-off victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 4 of the National League Division Series was nothing short of dramatic — and it all came down to one critical moment. But here's where it gets controversial: a throwing error by Phillies reliever Orion Kerkering rocked the stadium and ended Philadelphia's postseason hopes in a way no one could have predicted.
With the bases packed in the 11th inning, Andy Pages stepped up and hit a broken-bat grounder back to the mound. Kerkering, only in his third year in the majors, fumbled the ball badly, letting it bounce off his foot before scrambling to recover it. Instead of calmly throwing to first base to get the out and end the inning, Kerkering panicked and rushed a throw home. The ball soared past catcher J.T. Realmuto, who had signaled for Kerkering to throw to first, and raced all the way to the backstop.
This miscue allowed the Dodgers’ Hyeseong Kim to dash home from third, setting off an explosion of cheers and chaos in Dodger Stadium. Pages’ heads-up base running and Kerkering's unfortunate blunder combined to create one of the most unforgettable and heartbreaking endings in recent playoff history.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called it an “instant classic,” and third baseman Max Muncy ranked it among the biggest moments of his career. What began as a masterful pitchers’ duel between Tyler Glasnow and Cristopher Sánchez evolved into a tense bullpen showdown, stretching the contest into extra innings where every pitch felt consequential.
The Dodgers' rally had been building: singles from Tommy Edman and Max Muncy loaded the bases, followed by a two-out walk from Kiké Hernández. Kerkering initially struck out Pages swinging on a first-pitch sinker, but the next pitch ended everything in a blink with that broken-bat grounder turned chaos.
From the get-go, tension was thick at Chavez Ravine. Both Glasnow and Sánchez dominated through six scoreless innings, emphasizing the razor-thin margin between victory and defeat. Each team managed a run in the seventh after their starters exited, sending the game into a back-and-forth battle that eventually dragged into extras.
Mookie Betts' bases-loaded walk in the seventh off Phillies closer Jhoan Durán knotted the score, while Roki Sasaki provided three perfect innings of relief — striking out every batter he faced from the eighth through the tenth, almost overshadowing the phenomenal starting pitching. Glasnow’s six shutout innings with eight strikeouts contrasted sharply with Sánchez’s equally effective six scoreless innings, setting the stage for a nail-biting finish.
Dodgers manager Roberts’ decision to pull Glasnow after 83 pitches in the seventh inning sparked debate, especially as reliever Emmet Sheehan immediately ran into trouble with an error on a grounder that should have ended the inning. That mistake allowed the Phillies to take an early lead thanks to Nick Castellanos’ two-run double.
Despite falling behind, the Dodgers responded quickly, loading the bases with a walk and single before Phillies manager Rob Thomson made a bold choice to bring in Durán. But Durán’s inability to close out the inning, culminating in a walk to Betts, swung momentum back towards Los Angeles.
From that point, both bullpens clashed fiercely. Jesús Luzardo, initially projected as the Phillies’ Game 5 starter, and Dodgers pitcher Alex Vesia each fought to contain the opposing offense. Vesia’s 10-pitch strikeout of Harrison Bader in the 11th kept the game alive for the Dodgers’ final push.
As the bases loaded once more in the bottom of the 11th, the fate of the Phillies rested on Kerkering’s next move — and it ended up costing them dearly. His harried throw not only allowed the winning run to score but also thrust the Dodgers one step closer to defending their World Series championship.
This game was a masterclass in tension, execution, and the cruel unpredictability of baseball. Fans and analysts alike will debate the key managerial decisions and Kerkering's fateful error for weeks to come. Was it just a rookie’s nerves under pressure? A lapse in focus? Or could the Phillies have handled the situation differently earlier to avoid this outcome?
What do you think? Did Kerkering’s error seal the Phillies’ fate, or were there other pivotal moments that determined the course of this epic NLDS clash? Share your thoughts below and join the conversation about one of the most gripping—and controversial—postseason games in recent memory.
