The Philadelphia Phillies lost their game on October 10, 2025, in a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 of the National League Division Series (NLDS), ending their postseason run. The loss occurred in the 11th inning due to a critical error by relief pitcher Orion Kerkering.

Final Play Breakdown

With the bases loaded and two outs in the 11th inning, Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages hit a soft comebacker toward the mound. Kerkering, a 24-year-old reliever in the biggest moment of his career, mishandled the ball and then made a panicked, errant throw past catcher J.T. Realmuto at home plate instead of calmly throwing to first base for the out. This error allowed Kim Hye-seong to score the winning run, sealing the Dodgers' 2-1 victory and their advancement to the NL Championship Series.

Context of the Game

The Phillies had entered the game with World Series aspirations, having won 102 games during the regular season. They had managed to tie the game in the seventh inning when Nick Castellanos doubled to score Max Kepler. Despite strong starting pitching and limiting Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani to just one hit in 18 at-bats throughout the series, the Phillies' offense struggled, scoring only four runs across the four games.

Aftermath and Reactions

The loss sparked widespread devastation among players and fans alike. In the clubhouse, there was shock and concern for Kerkering, with teammates and leadership sharing the pain of the defeat. Fans compared the moment to past heartbreaks, such as Ryan Howard’s 2011 NLDS injury, calling it a new symbol of Phillies futility. The error has been widely described as one of the most crushing ways to exit the postseason, with many emphasizing that the Phillies lost not because they were outplayed, but due to a single, unforced mistake under pressure [web: