Facing elimination, Dodgers bust out to force winner-take-all G5

SAN DIEGO -- It hasn’t always looked pretty for the Dodgers. Over the last couple of years, their relationship with the postseason has been complicated, filled with more disappointments than lasting memories.

But as the Dodgers faced elimination in the National League Division Series for a third consecutive season, they kept saying things would be different this time around. They were ready to finally punch back when their backs were pinned against the wall.

After staving off elimination with an 8-0 blowout win over the Padres in Game 4 of the NLDS on Wednesday at Petco Park to extend the best-of-five series to a win-or-go home game at Dodger Stadium on Friday, the Dodgers finally showed the fight that everyone was waiting for.

“We have a bunch of grinders and a bunch of fighters,” said Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts. “We knew this wasn’t going to be easy. Nothing’s easy. And so you just gotta take whatever cards you’re dealt and play them. And that’s what we’ve been doing.”

In all best-of-five postseason series, teams that have won Game 4 when trailing 2-1 have then won Game 5 and the series 27 of 48 times (56%). However, teams are only 62-66 all-time in the postseason when playing a winner-take-all game in their home ballpark. That includes the Brewers’ loss to the Mets in Game 3 of this year’s NL Wild Card Series.

With their starting pitching having been an issue to start this postseason -- and not having a better option for Wednesday’s game -- the Dodgers leaned on their bullpen to save their season. It’s an unconventional move, even in today’s game, and especially for a club that has one of the highest payrolls in baseball.

The Dodgers, however, never flinched at the idea. Instead, after huddling up for a pregame meeting, the Los Angeles' relief corps responded with one of its best pitching performances of the season. One reliever at a time, and eight in total, they just wouldn’t let the Dodgers die.

“They were all fantastic,” said Dodgers catcher Will Smith. “Attacking the zone, putting guys away, put up nine zeroes, and we needed that tonight. Credit to those guys keeping us in it.”

Ryan Brasier got the start for the Dodgers and the veteran right-hander took down the first four outs of the game without much of an issue. Once the Padres’ string of lefties were due up in the second, manager Dave Roberts turned to left-hander Anthony Banda, who got Jake Cronenworth to pop out to end a two-out threat.

“We’ve said it all year. Our bullpen is special,” said Dodgers left-hander Alex Vesia. “We’ve got eight, nine, 10 guys that can all come in very high-leverage situations, and I think it shows. The script for us can be written in many different ways and we use that in our favor, big time.”

Getting through the Padres’ lineup for the first time was always going to be key for the Dodgers. They felt if they got through the first couple of innings, they could then line up their high-leverage relievers perfectly. That’s exactly what they did.

The Dodgers turned to Michael Kopech in the third inning, the earliest he’s been used in a game since coming to L.A. at the Trade Deadline. Kopech did his job and passed the baton off to Vesia to match up against the Padres’ lefties in the fourth.

With the game just about secured, the Dodgers made sure the series was heading back to Dodger Stadium by deploying Evan Phillips, Daniel Hudson and Blake Treinen. In the ninth, rookie right-hander Landon Knack made his postseason debut and capped off the combined shutout.

“I think that’s one of the most annoying things,” said Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill, when asked what it feels like to face a new arm every at-bat. “It kind of brings you back to Spring Training. You face one guy and then it’s a new guy every time.”

The bullpen’s performance was so dominant for the Dodgers in Game 4 that the club will seriously consider running it back in Friday’s win-or-go-home game. Yoshinobu Yamamoto or Jack Flaherty are the other options, but they were hit hard in their starts against the Padres to open the series.

“I think all of us are confident down there,” Hudson said. “If that’s the decision that they want to go with, everyone is going to come in tomorrow and get some good work in, get some good recovery in. If that’s what we do, that’s how we’ll roll it.”

Their ability to adapt to different situations is why the Dodgers believe this year’s team is different. Hours before a must-win game, the clubhouse got news that Freddie Freeman wouldn’t be able to suit up. Just like that, one of their best players wasn’t available.

But instead of panicking, the Dodgers looked around the room. They knew the likes of Gavin Lux, Max Muncy, Kiké Hernández and Smith would all need to step up to replace that production. All answered the bell in their own way. Betts and Shohei Ohtani also established their dominance, delivering the first three runs of the game and giving the bullpen room to operate.

“It’s awesome. The guys came out, Mookie being Mookie Betts was huge,” Freeman said. “And just up and down the lineup, great at-bats, tacking on runs. It was absolutely incredible. Looking forward to Friday.”

For the Dodgers, Game 5 will be another opportunity to show this postseason won’t have the same ending as the last two. If it looks anything like it did on Wednesday, there will be even more believers.

“I’m proud,” Roberts said. “When you get into the postseason, it’s a street fight. It’s about people, players, and your desire has got to be more than your opponent. And for me to see our guys go through what they’ve been through and respond the way they have really makes me excited about Game 5.”