Orion Kerkering threw a wild pitch past instead of throwing to first after mishandling Andy Pages’ bases-loaded home run with two outs in the 11th inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 on Thursday to win the NL Division Series 3-1.
Kerkering hung his head and put his hands on his knees after his throw went past catcher JT Realmuto as pinch-runner Hyeseong Kim crossed the plate, advancing the Dodgers to the NL Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs or Milwaukee.
Realmuto had signaled it first when the gloved hopper hit Kerkering’s glove and rolled just in front of the mound. Fans in the crowd of 50,563 at Dodger Stadium erupted after spending the final three innings on their feet.
Phillies manager Rob Thompson wrapped his arm around Kerkering as the stunned reliever arrived in the dugout.
Nick Castellanos’ RBI double in the seventh off Emmet Sheehan put the Phillies ahead but Jhoan Duran walked Mookie Betts with the bases loaded in the bottom half, forcing the tying run.
Tommy Edman singled out Jesus Luzardo with one out in the 11th and took third on a Max Muncy single that eluded a diving shortstop by Trea Turner.
Kerkering walked Kiki Hernandez to load the bases. Pages, in a 1-for-23 postseason bracket, hit what appears to be a routine practice tool, the kind every pitcher has practiced with the glove on since spring training.
Philadelphia, wearing its light blue uniforms on the road for the second straight day, is out of the Division Series for the third straight season while the defending World Series champion Dodgers reach the LCS for the eighth time in 13 years.
This article is currently being updated.