Oct 9, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sanchez (61) is relieved by manager Rob Thomson (49) in the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game four of the NLDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Jayne Kamin-Oncea
LOS ANGELES — For the second season in a row, the Phillies season has ended in Game 4 of the NLDS on Oct. 9, this time at the hands of the Dodgers who walked the Phillies off on an unthinkably poor decision by Orion Kerkering.
The Phillies wasted a strong outing from Cristopher Sánchez, recording just four hits and scoring one run over 11 innings en route to elimination.
A night after a two-homer performance that helped save the season, Kyle Schwarber doubled with one out in the top of the first inning. He advanced to third base on a groundout by Bryce Harper, but was ultimately stranded when Brandon Marsh struck out swinging to end the inning.
The first real trouble that Sánchez got into came in the bottom of the sixth inning when Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hernández singled to give the Dodgers runners at the corners. However, Sánchez got Tommy Edman to hit a weak nubber, which the lefty fielded and fired to first base to end the threat.
Meanwhile, Tyler Glasnow departed after six innings. The hard-throwing right did walk three, but allowed just two hits and struck out eight.
Emmet Sheehan entered in the top of the seventh inning for Dave Roberts and the Dodgers. With J.T. Realmuto on first base following a single, Max Kepler rolled what appeared to be a potential double-play ball. But after Realmuto was retired at second base, Mookie Betts fired to first base to try to complete the double play. It went off of Sheehan's glove and into the Phillies' dugout, allowing Kepler to advanced to second base.
Nick Castellanos, who had just one hit in his first 13 at-bats of the series, then roped a double down the left-field line off of Sheehan, plating Kepler and breaking the scoreless tie.
Nick Castellanos gives the Phillies the lead!
pic.twitter.com/SVBwlFxrP1
Sánchez returned for the home half of the seventh inning. After getting Will Smith to ground out to begin the inning, Sánchez appeared to have Alex Call rung up on a 2-2 sinker on the black. But home-plate umpire Mark Wegner called it a ball, and Smith ultimately walked. After a Kiké Hernández single, Thomson elected to turn to Jhoan Duran with two on and one out:
Mark Wegner missed what should have been strike three from Cristopher Sánchez to Alex Call in the bottom of the seventh. pic.twitter.com/K3wBbeRq3E
Duran got Andy Pages to ground out to first base, putting runners on second and third base with two outs. Despite how much he was struggling, the Phillies intentionally walked Ohtani with first base open, which was probably the right decision. Unfortunately for them, that decision backfired, with Duran walking Mookie Betts to force in a run. Duran was able to strike out Teoscar Hernández, though, keeping the game tied at 1-1 entering the eighth.
The final line for Sánchez was five hits, five strikeouts, one walk and one earned run. Between Game 1 and Game 4, Sánchez pitched to a 2.25 ERA across 12 innings.
Duran returned to pitch the eighth inning, and made quick work of the Dodgers, retiring Freddie Freeman, Edman and Will Smith in order. But Roki Sasaki — the defacto closer for the Dodgers, also in his second inning of work — retired Marsh, Realmuto and Kepler in order as well.
Sasaki wound up returning for a third inning — after Matt Strahm retired the Dodgers in order in the bottom of the ninth — and retired Castellanos, Stott and Turner in order.
Jesús Luzardo retired all three batters he faced in the bottom of the 10th inning, before Alex Vesia entered to pitch for the Dodgers in the top of the 11th. Vesia did walk Harper, who advanced to second base on a wild pitch. A hobbled Harrison Bader came on to pinch hit for Marsh with two outs, but despite a tremendous at-bat, he ultimately chased one out of the zone on the 10th pitch of the at-bat to strike out, ending the threat.
Luzardo returned for a second inning, giving way to Orion Kerkering with runners on the corners and two outs in the bottom of the 11th. After walking Kiké Hernández, Kerkering induced a broken-bat ground ball off the bat of Pages. He bobbled the ball, but still had plenty of time to throw to first to get the final out of the inning. Instead, he made an errant throw home, allowing the winning run to score and ending the season for the Phillies.
There will be serious questions about the future of this team moving forward after a second consecutive NLDS loss, with Ranger Suárez, Schwarber and Realmuto all set to become free agents. We will have plenty more coverage this evening, so stay tuned to On Pattison for our postgame coverage.
