For the first day since March, we all woke up on Thursday morning without the prospect of Yankees baseball on the horizon. With their loss on Wednesday night, the Yankees were officially eliminated, as they fell in four games to the Blue Jays in the ALDS. We now begin the long wait until next spring to see whatever the 2026 version of the Bronx Bombers will look like.
However, whether we like it or not, there is still more baseball to be played this year. As we inch closer to the World Series, let’s
take a look at the playoff games from Thursday.
National League Division Series Game 4
Dodgers 2, Phillies 1 (11 innings)
(Los Angeles wins series 3-1)
Most of this game was a pitchers’ duel, but the game will end up being remembered by a brutal mistake from a pitcher. Phillies reliever Orion Kerkering’s error gave the Dodgers a walk-off win and a trip to the NLCS.
Through the first six innings, neither the Phillies’ Cristopher Sánchez nor the Dodgers’ Tyler Glasnow had allowed a run, and had even only given up a total of six hits between them.
Needing another win to stay alive, the Phillies finally broke the deadlock in the top of the seventh. J.T. Realmuto led off the frame with a single, but that was set to be erased when Max Kepler hit a double play fodder of a ground ball. However after the force out at second, Dodgers’ reliever Emmet Sheehan just whiffed at the throw while covering first base. Not only did that allow Kepler to reach safely, but the ball went out of play, allowing him to move to second. That put him in position to score when Nick Castellanos followed with a double.
The Phillies’ lead didn’t last long, though. Sánchez came back out for the bottom of the seventh, but gave up a one-out walk and single. After an intentional walk to Shohei Ohtani, Jhoan Duran issued an original flavor walk to Mookie Betts to tie things up.
Both teams then emptied their chambers bullpen wise, with the Phillies even bringing in starter Jesús Luzardo. In the 11th, Luzardo got a pair of outs, but also put two runners on in the process, leading to the Phillies going to Kerkering. While a walk then loaded the bases, Kerkering seemingly got a ground ball to escape the inning and keep the game going. However, in a fashion that can only make you think that he forgot how many outs there were, Kerkering hurriedly threw home instead of going to first to end the inning. His throw was high and went sailing past Realmuto, allowing the winning run to scamper home. Brutally for Kerkering, that was the first time a playoff series has ever ended on a walk-off error.
Cubs 6, Brewers 0
(Series tied 2-2)
The NLCS isn’t completely set, though, as the Cubs staved off elimination and will head back to Milwaukee for a decisive Game 5.
Like they have often in this series, the Cubs got off to a very quick start. Ian Happ did the damage this time. With two runners on and two outs, Happ took Brewers starter Freddy Peralta deep to give the Cubs another first inning lead.
Unlike the two games in Milwaukee, the Cubs held onto their early lead this time around. Matthew Boyd was solid, but not the most efficient on the mound for Chicago, as he allowed no runs on two hits and three walks, but was pulled after 4.2 innings. After that though, the Cubs’ bullpen combined to allow just two more baserunners the rest of the way.
Late on, the Cubs’ offense poured it on a bit, as home runs from Kyle Tucker and Michael Busch ensured that there wasn’t too many nervy moments for Chicago as they wrapped up the shutout.
