The Padres eliminated the Dodgers in a shocking turn of events
By Dayn Perry
• 1 min read
The San Diego Padres staged a furious late-inning comeback and knocked the top-seeded Los Angeles Dodgers out of the playoffs with a 5-3 win in Game 4 of the National League Division Series on Saturday night. In doing so they won the series, 3-1, in upset fashion. The series win means that the Padres will be in the NLCS for the first time since 1998, where they will face the Phillies.
In Game 4, the Padres trailed for much of the game after the Dodger offense finally managed some timely hitting in the second for a 2-0 lead. That lead grew to 3-0 in the top of the seventh thanks to a Will Smith sac fly. In the bottom of the seventh, however, the Padres clawed back to plate five runs and seize a lead that the San Diego bullpen, nearly perfect in this series, would hold.
Now for some takeaways from the Game 4 clincher.
The seventh inning was one to remember for the Padres
Going into the bottom of the seventh, the Padres trailed 3-0 and had just a 10.8 percent chance of winning Game 4, per basic win expectancy. Then they got to work against the Dodger bullpen. Here's the blow by blow:
- Jurickson Profar walks.
- Trent Grisham singles.Austin Nola singles.
- Yency Almonte relieves Tommy Kahnle.
- Ha-Seong Kim doubles, one run scores.
- Juan Soto singles, one run scores.
- Manny Machado strikes out.
- Brandon Drury pops out.
- Alex Vesia relieves Almonte with 1-0 count.
- Soto steals second base.
- Jake Cronenworth does this:
That made it 5-3, and that 10.8 percent chance of a Padres win had become a 90.2 percent chance of a Padres win. Given the "little brother" status of the Padres when it comes to the Dodgers and given the stakes, it's no exaggeration to call that one of the biggest innings in Padres franchise history.
The Padres bullpen did the job again
Yes, the San Diego relief corps allowed their first run of the series after taking over for starter Joe Musgrove, but it didn't come in anything like authoritative fashion (the Dodgers pushed across a run against Steven Wilson in their small-ball top of the seventh). After the Padres snatched the lead, the bullpen notched the final six outs without any dramatics. The Padre pen came into Game 4 with these numbers through the first three games of the NLDS: 13 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 15 SO, 4 BB. On Saturday, they allowed one run in three innings, which gave them an ERA of 0.56 for the series. That's the kind of lockdown relief you need to win in the postseason these days.
Tyler Anderson delivered for the Dodgers
The 32-year-old retread lefty continues to be a quiet savior for the Dodgers. Armed with a refined pitch mix and tweaked changeup grip, Anderson had a career year in 2022: a 2.57 ERA and 4.06 K/BB ratio in a team-high 178 ⅔ innings. On Saturday, he authored the biggest start of the Dodgers' season, as he twirled five scoreless innings with six strikeouts, two walks, and two hits allowed. At one point, Anderson retired nine in a row. That's in keeping with how Anderson has handled the Padres in 2022. During the regular season, he made four starts against the Padres and thrived across those combined 24 innings: 1.88 ERA, no unearned runs allowed, 15 hits, 16 strikeouts, six walks, .502 OPS against.
A great Dodger season ends in disappointment
During the regular season, the Dodgers barged to a franchise-record 111 wins, and they put up a run differential of plus-334 – both markers of success two of the best in MLB history. Three October losses shouldn't undo what was authored across 162 games, but the reality is that the Dodgers will once again be remembered for coming up short in the postseason. Dave Roberts' club has won 217 games over the last two regular seasons without a ring to show for it.
The NLCS is set
It will be the Padres and Philadelphia Phillies in the NLCS. The best-of-seven clash gets started Tuesday in San Diego with a trip to the World Series on the line. The Padres, incidentally, have never won the World Series. During the regular season, the Phillies won four of seven head-to-head games against San Diego and out-scored them 21-15 in those contests.
Updates
(55)
See New Posts
Pinned
Link copied
The Padres eliminate the Dodgers
Wow. Unbelievable series. The 111-Dodgers are out. The Phillies and Padres are in the NLCS.
Pinned
Link copied
Pinned
Link copied
Pinned
Link copied
Pinned
Link copied
Two down
Freddie Freeman to the plate. The season after he won the World Series with the Braves and left them. And they were eliminated today, too.
Pinned
Link copied
Hader Ks Betts
One down.
Pinned
Link copied
Josh Hader on for Padres
Only three teams in MLB history won more games in the regular season than the 2022 Dodgers. If Hader gets three outs before the Dodgers score two runs, their season will be over. High drama in San Diego.
Pinned
Link copied
Pinned
Link copied
Pinned
Link copied
that's a five-run inning
Cronenworth singles to plate two more. It's 5-3 Padres. The 111-win Dodgers won more games than all but three teams in the history of this, our baseball. They are six outs away from elimination before the NLCS.
Pinned
Link copied
Hoooooooooly
Pinned
Link copied
Pinned
Link copied
pitching change
With a 1-0 count, the Dodgers are going to Alex Vesia. He's been one of their best relievers all season. You could argue he (a lefty) should have faced Soto, actually.
Pinned
Link copied
Oooo a mid-at-bat pitching change.
Pinned
Link copied
Houdini act on tap?
After the Soto single tied it, Almonte got Machado on a strikeout and induced a Drury foul out (on a very nice play by Freddie Freeman, by the way). Though it's obviously bad the lead has been blown, getting out of this with a tie would be huge for the Dodgers, so long as we start with the score being tied as our perspective.
Pinned
Link copied
Pinned
Link copied
WE ARE TIED
Soto with a line drive single to RF. Tie game. And it's first and third with no out for the NL MVP candidate Manny Machado. No place to put him.
Pinned
Link copied
This right here is why you trade for Juan Soto.
Pinned
Link copied
Pinned
Link copied
Kim is such a fun player. I love him.
Pinned
Link copied
Kim doubles down the line!
It's 3-2 Dodgers and runners are on second and third with no out for Juan Soto. Manny Machado is on deck. Wow.
Pinned
Link copied
Yency Almonte on to try and clean up this mess for the Dodgers
Pinned
Link copied
Pinned
Link copied
oh boy, here we go ...
Nola with a grounder that glances off Freddie Freeman's glove as an infield single. It's 3-1 now with runners on first and second with no out for Ha-Seong Kim with Juan Soto and Manny Machado looming.
Pinned
Link copied
Padres threatening
Jurickson Profar walks and Trent Grisham singles to center and the Padres are in business here in the bottom of the seventh. Austin Nola and then the top of the order with no out.
Pinned
Link copied
Pinned
Link copied
Sac fly for Smith
Not a hit, but Will Smith with the productive out to make it 3-0 Dodgers. That's the first run off the Padres bullpen in this series. It feels like we'll be watching these two teams again tomorrow night.
Pinned
Link copied
Boat race coming?
Trea Turner with a perfect bunt and Freddie Freeman hit with a pitch. The bases are loaded with no out.
Pinned
Link copied
Dodgers have another baserunner in front of their boppers
Leadoff man Mookie Betts has a leadoff walk in the seventh. Will he be stranded?
Pinned
Link copied
Martin works out of a jam
After the Machado single, Drury hit into a fielder's choice and then Cronenworth got an infield single on a perfectly placed and weakly hit bleeder. The Dodgers were in deep trouble, it seemed, but Martin struck Wil Myers out to end the threat. It's still 2-0, going to the seventh.
See More
CBS Sports HQ Newsletter
We bring sports news that matters to your inbox, to help you stay informed and get a winning edge.
By pressing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge Paramount's Privacy Policy.
See All Newsletters
Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe.
Thanks for signing up!
Keep an eye on your inbox.