With their season on the brink and a depleted roster, the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied together to deliver an emphatic 8-0 victory over the San Diego Padres in Game 4 of the National League Division Series. Facing elimination, a rotating cast of Dodgers pitchers executed a historic performance, setting the stage for a winner-takes-all Game 5 at Dodger Stadium.

Unlikely Pitching Strategy Yields Historic Results

On a day when the Dodgers' pitching rotation was severely compromised, 12 pitchers took the field with one goal—neutralizing the Padres' potent offense. The Dodgers deployed a bullpen game, starting with veteran Ryan Brasier, who set the tone early by shutting down San Diego’s top hitters. In total, eight Dodgers pitchers contributed to a rare nine-inning shutout, a feat only achieved by one other team in postseason history.

A Catch-22 Situation in the Face of Difficulties

The Dodgers, forced into a bullpen game due to injuries to key starters, relied on a mix of arms to stifle the Padres' bats. Brasier, Banda, Kopech, Vesia, Phillips, Hudson, Treinen, and Knack combined to keep the Padres off the scoreboard, marking the first time San Diego had been shut out since July.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of his pitching staff, "Our players showed the desire to come through when it mattered most," acknowledging that the postseason is a street war.

Early Offense Sets the Tone

The Dodgers applied immediate pressure on the Padres.. Mookie Betts led off the game with a solo home run, giving the Dodgers an early 1-0 lead. By the second inning, RBI singles from Betts and Shohei Ohtani extended the lead to 3-0. The offensive outburst continued when Will Smith launched a towering 432-foot, two-run homer, further cementing the Dodgers' control.

Padres Struggle Against Relentless Pitching

The Padres, struggling to generate offense, found themselves stymied by the Dodgers’ bullpen. Banda, who recently returned from an injury, worked out of a jam in the second inning, while Kopech, Vesia, and Phillips combined to shut down San Diego through the middle innings.

By the time the sixth inning rolled around, the Dodgers had built an insurmountable 8-0 lead, capped off by Gavin Lux’s three-run homer. Even with the game out of reach, Roberts sent in Hudson and Treinen for additional innings of work, ensuring the Padres had no opportunity to mount a comeback.

Dodgers’ Chemistry and Resilience Shine

Veteran reliever Daniel Hudson emphasized the Dodgers’ determination after the game, stating, "There's no quit in this team. Even though we knew we were up against a wall, we were prepared to fight."

With the victory, the Dodgers will have a home-field advantage in Game 5 of the series, which will now return to Los Angeles.. With their two best starters, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Jack Flaherty, available, the team is in a strong position to close out the series. However, Roberts didn’t rule out the possibility of another bullpen game, keeping all options open.

Confidence Heading into Game 5

The Dodgers' relievers, buoyed by their Game 4 performance, have instilled confidence in the clubhouse. Will Smith, catcher, said of the bullpen, "They were fantastic—attacking the zone, putting men away, and putting up zeroes." "We needed that tonight."

As the series shifts back to Dodger Stadium, the team’s cohesion and grit remain their greatest assets. With everything on the line, the Dodgers have once again shown that they are prepared to fight for every out and every inning, with the hopes of advancing deeper into October.