In a game that typified October tension, the Dodgers survived a late rally by the Phillies to secure a 4–3 victory in Game 2 of the NLDS and take a commanding 2–0 series lead. From the outset, starting pitchers Blake Snell and Jesús Luzardo locked both teams in check, pushing a scoreless duel deep into the middle innings.
The breakthrough came in the seventh, when the Dodgers unleashed a four-run surge, backed by a clutch two-run single from Will Smith and timely RBI hits from Shohei Ohtani and others. But Philadelphia refused to go quietly. In the ninth, Nick Castellanos ripped a double to bring the game within one. The Phillies loaded the bases, intensifying the drama.
In response, L.A. deployed a rarely seen “wheel play” on a bunt attempt: Max Muncy charged, Mookie Betts covered third, and the tag was applied to thwart the tying run. Freddie Freeman then made a heads-up scoop on a throw that prevented an error, sealing one of the most intense postseason finishes in recent memory.
As the series moves to Los Angeles for Game 3, the Dodgers are one win away from advancing — but the Phillies, battle-scarred or not, won’t go down without a fight.
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