Dodgers one win away from NLCS after dramatic game 2 win over Phillies

The Los Angeles Dodgers are now one victory away from punching their ticket back to the National League Championship Series, after edging the Philadelphia Phillies 4-3 in Game 2 of the NLDS on Monday night. 

After stealing Game 1 in dramatic fashion thanks to a three-run homer by Teoscar Hernández, the Dodgers have tightened their grip on this series. With the series now shifting to Los Angeles for Game 3, the momentum is decidedly with L.A. 

Game 2 Recap: Snell Dominates, Dodgers Survive Phillies’ Rally

Blake Snell delivered yet another dominant outing for the Dodgers, stifling Philadelphia’s offense en route to a clutch win. Meanwhile, Phillies lefty Jesús Luzardo had retired 18 straight batters before being chased in the seventh, after back-to-back hits opened the door. In the bottom of the 7th, following two base knocks, Will Smith delivered a timely two-run single to put L.A. ahead. A subtle infield dribbler by Kiké Hernández also scored Teoscar Hernández earlier in the inning, breaking the stalemate. 

Ninth Inning Tension

Philadelphia refused to go quietly. In the 9th, they rallied for two runs with no outs to narrow the margin to one. But the Dodgers bullpen — using Blake Treinen, Alex Vesia, and Roki Sasaki in relief — held on for the final outs. In the process, L.A. outlasted another high-stakes moment to move to the precipice of the NLCS. 

Context: How We Got Here

• Game 1 Heroics: On Saturday, the Dodgers erased an early 3–0 hole behind a clutch seventh-inning three-run shot from Teoscar Hernández, and Shohei Ohtani turned in six strong innings on the mound, striking out nine. 

• Series Setup: That win gave L.A. a 1–0 edge and home-field advantage in the later games. 

• Roster Moves: For Game 2, the Dodgers inserted Miguel Rojas at third base to face the left-handed Luzardo, benching Max Muncy due to his struggles against lefties. 

• Ohtani’s Role: Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed that Ohtani will be reserved for a Game 5 start, if needed, rather than deploying him in relief. 

What’s Next: Game 3 and the Drive to the NLCS

Now with a 2–0 series lead, the Dodgers head home where they’ll need just one more win to return to the NLCS. Philadelphia, meanwhile, must avoid elimination on hostile turf. L.A. will look to keep the pressure on using its rotation depth and bullpen flexibility. Meanwhile, the Phillies, facing the potential of a short offseason, will try to extend the series and regroup. If the Dodgers close it out at Dodger Stadium, they’ll notch their fourth trip to the NLCS since 2020.