Sep 17, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jesus Luzardo (44) fields a ball against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the second inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
LOS ANGELES - So, there's the hangover game.
It happened a day later than expected. Maybe the team had a second wind after a late-night celebration on Monday that led them to another dramatic win on Tuesday.
But by Wednesday, there was just nothing left.
Wrapping up a stretch of 15 games without a day off, the Phillies finally ran completely out of steam against a Los Angeles Dodgers team that needed a win in the worst way, considering the San Diego Padres are right on their heels in the NL West race.
The final score was 5-0. The Phillies had just three hits. They struck out 13 times. Considering they had plane trouble coming into L.A., played two playoff-type games against a team that the odds will tell you are the favorite to meet the Phillies in the NLDS, and beer-bonged their way through an all-night bender in the middle of the trip, the fact that they accomplished their mission here by winning the series in first two game should mean that this deflated balloon should not surprise.
Blake Snell has 10 strikeouts through 5 scoreless innings! pic.twitter.com/t2bCVRSxMy
"Coming off 15 in a row we went 11-4 against some pretty good teams," manager Rob Thomson said. "I think the day off is coming at the right time and we'll strap it back on come Friday."
Yes, it's been a very good stretch of games. Yes, they locked up the Division title and all but assured themselves a bye against the defending World Champions. And yes, they were exhausted. How could they not be.
So, criticism shouldn't be harsh. In fact, it's really not warranted in game No. 153 of the season for the team with the best record in baseball since the trade deadline.
But it is worth noting one thing, especially since the likelihood of seeing the Dodgers again is so high.
In the three games here, the Phillies amassed just three hits off the three starting pitchers they faced from L.A.
Emmett Sheehan didn't start on Monday, but he entered the game after three batters and only one out was recorded. He pitched another 5 2/3 innings and allowed one hit.
Shohei Ohtani pitched five no-hit innings on Tuesday and was pulled from the game after throwing just 68 pitches as the Dodgers continue to be uber-careful with their mega star, even though it was his 15th start of the season.
Then on Wednesday, Blake Snell blew the Phillies away, striking out 12 and allowing just two hits in seven scoreless innings.
BLAKE SNELL, ICE IN HIS VEINS. pic.twitter.com/4IIW9x32yj
"That's the best I've seen Snell," Thomson said. "He was really good. He threw strikes. He pounded the zone and the curveball was really good to our lefthanders and the change up was really good to our righthanders. We could only muster two hits against him."
The Dodgers starters are very good. Consider the Phillies struggled against those three and didn't even have to face Yoshinobu Yamamoto nor Tyler Glasnow.
If they meet again, the Phillies will have to be better against the starters. They can't just hope to get into the Dodgers shaky bullpen every night.
On the flip side, Jesus Luzardo didn't have his best stuff, but grinded through seven innings before letting up a solo homer to Ohtani to lead off the eighth.
Rob Thomson on why he let Jesús Luzardo face Shohei Ohtani a fourth time, and the lefty’s outing overall…
(Via @AntSanPhilly) pic.twitter.com/dsWqXy7YE4
Before that he had a leaky second inning, giving up a solo homer to Freddie Freeman followed by three singles for a second L.A. run. Then in the fourth, a walk, a stolen base and an errant pick off throw to second base cost Luzardo another run on an RBI single by Kike Hernandez.
Still, he pitched into the eighth inning and although he hasn't been the most consistent pitcher, Luzardo has definitely been better in the past couple months - and enough to likely be the Game 3 starter for the Phillies in the postseason.
"It would be amazing for me," Luzardo said. "I always said, whatever they need from me I'll do - whether it's bullpen or a starting job. But I feel like it would be awesome to be part of that (rotation) and get a start in the postseason."
The Phillies can smell the playoffs. Red October is a mere two weeks away. But there's still nine games to get through before they get there, and their magic number is still four to ensure they get a bye.
So there's work to be done - they just need a day to recharge the batteries, and Thomson's right, it couldn't come at a better time.
