The Los Angeles Dodgers survived a late Phillies rally to secure a 4-3 victory in Game 2 of the National League Division Series on October 6, 2025, grabbing a commanding 2-0 series lead.
The game unfolded as a classic pitcher’s duel early on, with Dodgers starter Blake Snell and Phillies ace Jesús Luzardo locking down the offenses through six scoreless innings. Snell dazzled, allowing just one hit while walking four and fanning nine over his 99-pitch outing. Luzardo matched him pitch for pitch, surrendering only one hit and striking out five in 6+ innings on 72 pitches.
The dam broke in the top of the seventh for the Dodgers. Teoscar Hernández singled, and Freddie Freeman doubled to set the table. After a strikeout, Kiké Hernández scored on Tommy Edman’s groundout—upheld on replay review—to make it 1-0. Will Smith then delivered a two-run single to plate Hernández and Freeman, pushing the lead to 3-0. Shohei Ohtani, snapping an 0-for-7 postseason slump, capped the inning with an RBI single that scored Max Muncy for a 4-0 cushion. Luzardo exited after back-to-back hits, handing the ball to a bullpen that couldn’t stem the tide.
Philadelphia clawed back in the bottom of the eighth, as Max Kepler tripled and came home on Trea Turner’s single to trim the deficit to 4-1. The ninth inning brought the drama: Nick Castellanos ripped a two-RBI single to score Turner and Brandon Marsh, pulling the Phillies within one at 4-3. Castellanos alertly took second on the throw home but was thrown out at third trying to advance on Bryson Stott’s bunt attempt, ending the threat as the Dodgers clung to the win.
Smith’s two-run knock and Ohtani’s timely hit proved pivotal for LA, while Castellanos’ clutch ninth offered a glimmer of hope for the hosts. Snell’s gem anchored the Dodgers’ staff, striking out Phillies stars like Bryce Harper and Alec Bohm in key spots.
With the series shifting to Dodger Stadium for Game 3 on October 8, Philadelphia faces elimination pressure. The Dodgers, buoyed by their late-inning heroics, look poised to advance deeper into the playoffs.
