Dodgers force Game 5 in NLDS with bullpen shutout of Padres

SAN DIEGO — Like rescuers linking arms in a human chain to save someone in danger of drowning, the Dodgers’ bullpen linked arms, ventured out on the thin ice of Game 4 and kept their season from going under.

Achieving peak 2024, the Dodgers resorted to a bullpen game in an elimination game. Their backs to the wall, eight pitchers wore a path from the bullpen to the mound at Petco Park on Wednesday night – then forced San Diego Padres hitters to wear a path back to their dugout.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts stitched together a seven-hit shutout with those relievers and the Dodgers’ offense piled up runs to stave off elimination with an 8-0 victory in Game 4 of their National League Division Series.

The Dodgers’ two victories in this series have featured 15 scoreless innings from their relievers.

Roberts’ maneuvering wasn’t even limited to the pitchers. He moved Kiké Hernandez and Chris Taylor between third base and center field. Hernandez went to center when fly ball pitchers like Michael Kopech and Alex Vesia were on the mound. Taylor went to center with Hernandez at third when ground balls were more likely.

This Surfliner Series heads back north for Game 5 at Dodger Stadium on Friday night. The Dodgers have not taken a postseason series to the limit since beating the San Francisco Giants in five games in their 2021 NLDS – also the last time they won a postseason series.

The Dodgers never trailed in the game thanks to the October rebirth of Mookie Betts, who homered in the first inning for the second consecutive game. This time, he didn’t hit it anywhere near Jurickson Profar – and didn’t hesitate going into an animated home run trot, pumping his fist as he rounded second base.

Two more runs in the second inning chased Padres right-hander Dylan Cease, who started on three days of rest but was pulled by Manager Mike Shildt after just five outs. Shohei Ohtani and Betts gave the Dodgers a 3-0 lead with back-to-back RBI singles – their largest lead at the end of a postseason inning since they led 5-0 midway through Game 1 of their 2022 NLDS against the Padres.

In the third inning, the Dodgers made it 5-0 on a 432-foot, two-run home run by Will Smith. It was the Dodgers’ biggest lead at the end of a postseason inning since Game 1 of their 2022 NLDS against the Padres.

Ohtani cost them a chance to pad that lead with poor baserunning in the fourth inning. He drew a walk with one out then tagged up and went to second on a fly out by Betts. Teoscar Hernandez bounced a ground ball down the third-base line that Manny Machado tried to backhand as the ball bounced just across the foul line. It glanced off Machado’s glove, bounced up and hit third-base umpire Mark Ripperger.

Third-base coach Dino Ebel threw up a stop sign when he saw the ball hit Ripperger, but Ohtani’s head was down and he kept going. Machado was able to recover the ball quickly and threw Ohtani out at home.

The Dodgers’ relievers were able to avoid any drama for most of the game. The Padres didn’t have a baserunner with fewer than two outs until David Peralta led off the fifth inning with a single off Alex Vesia.

Vesia walked Jake Cronenworth to put two runners on with no outs, but he struck out Kyle Higashioka and got Luis Arraez to fly out.

Evan Phillips picked up from there, retiring all four batters he was tasked with. By the time, Daniel Hudson took the mound for the bottom of the seventh, the Dodgers had broken the game open with three more runs on a squeeze bunt by Tommy Edman and a two-run home run by Gavin Lux.

More to come on this story.