WASHINGTON — The Nationals and Dodgers scrapped through a highly entertaining, back-and-forth affair in Game 4 of the NLDS Tuesday, but Los Angeles forced a fifth and deciding game with a 6-5 victory.
After Washington rallied from three runs down in the seventh to tie the score at five runs apiece, the Dodgers mounted a two-out, eighth inning rally of their own to plate the eventual winning run. Chase Utley’s single off Blake Treinen scored Andrew Toles from second base, helping push the series to Game 5 back in Washington Thursday.
The Nationals and Dodgers traded punches early, with Washington scoring in the top of the first on Daniel Murphy’s RBI single, only to have Los Angeles strike back to take the lead on Adrian Gonzalez’s two-run home run.
Just as he did in the first, Trea Turner singled to lead off the third inning when he was again plated by Murphy, this time on a sacrifice fly to knot the score 2-2.
Kershaw kick-started the third inning rally for Los Angeles, slicing a double into the left field corner to lead off the frame. With two outs, Justin Turner lofted a fly ball in between Jayson Werth and Trea Turner that dropped for a single, plating Kershaw. Later in the inning, Joc Pederson was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, to force home another run.
Pederson padded the L.A. lead in the fifth, lining a two-out, opposite field double to the left field corner to score Josh Reddick from first, making it 5-2, where it would stay until the top of the seventh.
The Nationals loaded the bases in the seventh, with Bryce Harper drawing a walk off Kershaw to end his outing after 110 pitches. Jayson Werth was hit by the first and only pitch from reliever Pedro Baez to force home a run, then Daniel Murphy singled home a pair off lefty Luis Avilan to tie the game 5-5.
Game 5 will be Thursday in Washington. The game starts at 8:08 p.m.
