Phillies Throw Away Season as Dodgers Advance to NLCS

What an awful way for the Philadelphia Phillies' season to end. 

With Game 4 of the NLDS tied 1-1 in the bottom of the 11th inning, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages hits a weak ball back to Phillies relief pitcher Orion Kerkering. However, instead of throwing the ball to first base to get the third out to extend the game to the 12th inning, Kerkering air mails the ball to home plate to allow the Dodgers to score the winning run to advance to the NLCS.

Most likely, it was just a moment of panic that could not have happened at a worse time. Unfortunately, Kerkering will live in Philly sports infamy for the rest of his life. 

Mind you, it's not the first time an error has cost the Phillies against the Dodgers in the post-season. Just ask Garry Maddox during the 1978 NLCS. But this one ended the game.

Unlike the 1978 Phillies however, there would be a World Series title in 1980. I sent a Facebook message to Randy Lerch who pitched for the Phillies during this era, and he feels sorry for the current edition of the team.

Indeed, there is a chance that this Phillies team will be broken up. The Phillies won the NL pennant in 2022 but fell to the Houston Astros in the World Series. They lost the NLCS to the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2023 and now have been bounced in the NLDS for a second consecutive season after being ousted by the New York Mets a year ago. 

The Phillies have been a success but not successful enough. Free agents abound as Kyle Schwarber and his NL leading 56 HR and 132 RBI will likely go elsewhere as will catcher J.T. Realmuto and starting pitcher Ranger Suarez among others. There is also speculation that manager Rob Thomson who turned around the club in 2022 might get the heave-ho. Baseball, much like life, is unfair.

Meanwhile, the defending World Series champion Dodgers reach the NLCS for the fourth time this decade. The Dodgers will find out who they will face when the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers meet on Saturday night in Game 5 of their NLDS matchup. The Cubs have come back from an 0-2 deficit to force a deciding game after shutting out the Brewers 6-0 on HRs by Ian Happ, Kyle Tucker and Michael Busch.

At this point, anybody but the Dodgers. Even if it has been a quarter century since any team won consecutive World Series.