Keke Hernandez gave the Los Angeles Dodgers their first run in Game 5 with a second-inning home run off San Diego Padres starter Yu Darvish. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The Los Angeles Dodgers are returning to the National League Championship Series for the first time in three seasons. The Dodgers beat the San Diego Padres 2-0 on Friday in Game 5 of their NLDS series.
Enrique Hernandez and Teoscar Hernandez hit home runs to provide all the offense the Dodgers needed in the first low-scoring game of the series. Enrique's homer came in the second inning, and Teoscar's blast came in the seventh.
Both home runs came from Yu Darvish, who pitched well enough to win, had he gotten some run support. He threw 6 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on three hits with four strikeouts. But the Padres couldn't score any runs in the game.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto gave the Dodgers the start they needed in a must-win contest. He pitched five scoreless innings allowing two hits with two strikeouts on 68 pitches. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said during the Fox telecast that he expects to get four innings out of his starter.
It was a nice bounce-back from Yamamoto's Game 1 start, in which he threw 60 pitches and gave up five runs on five hits, two walks and one strikeout.
With Friday's shutout, the Padres have gone the last 24 innings of the NLDS without a run. Their last run was a Fernando Tatis Jr. home run in the second inning of Game 3, which San Diego won 6–5.
Tatis went 0-for-4 in Game 5, and Jurickson Proffer, Manny Machado and Jackson Merrill each batted 0-for-3 as the Padres managed just two hits. The Dodgers' bullpen relieved Yamamoto through four innings of no-hit ball.
The Dodgers next host the New York Mets, who topped the Philadelphia Phillies in their NLDS matchup in Game 1 of the NLCS on Sunday. The Dodgers and Mets faced each other in the 1988 NLCS, with Los Angeles winning in seven games before winning the World Series.
First pitch of NLCS Game 1 is scheduled for 8:15 pm ET.
Here's how the action unfolded on Yahoo Sports' Game 5 live blog:
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The Dodgers' 24 scoreless innings to finish the NLDS is a franchise record
Finishing the NLDS with 24 scoreless innings is the longest streak in Dodgers postseason history and the longest in MLB history.
The Padres are scoreless in the last 24 innings of the NLDS
The last time the Padres scored in this NLDS was a second-inning homer by Fernando Tatis Jr.
Dodgers pitching held the Padres scoreless for the final 24 innings of the NLDS.
The Dodgers return to the NLCS for the first time in 4 seasons
The Dodgers are back in the NLCS for the first time since 2021, when they lost to the World Series champion Braves in six games.
Shohei Ohtani wins a postseason series
The Dodgers won 2-0 and advanced to the NLCS
Blake Treinen threw a 1-2-3 ninth inning for the Dodgers.
Pinch-hitter Donovan Solano grounded out to third base, Luis Ariz flied out to right field. Fernando Tatis Jr. then grounded out to third base to end the game.
Shohei Ohtani is 0-4 with 3 strikeouts
Tanner Scott did his thing, striking out Shohei Ohtani on four pitches to end the eighth inning.
Tanner Scott is going to pitch for San Diego
Jason Adam retired Gavin Lux on a grounder to first base and Tommy Edman on a grounder to second. But he is coming in for left-hander Tanner Scott, who will face Shohei Ohtani.
23 scoreless innings for the Padres
Michael Kopech took over for Alex Vescia, who injured himself in the eighth warmup.
The right-hander kept the Padres off the board, allowing Xander Bogaerts to pop up to second base and David Peralta to shortstop. He then struck out Jake Cronenworth on three pitches to end the inning.
Michael Kopech to pitch for the Dodgers
Michael Kopech is taking over for Alex Vescia, who hurt himself while warming up for the eighth inning.
Alex Vecia appeared to injure himself during warm-ups. She is dating a trainer.
Jason Adam relieved Yu Darvish with two outs in the seventh inning. He gave up a single to Will Smith, who then stole second base.
However, Adam Enrique got Hernandez to ground out to third base to end the inning.
But the Dodgers now lead 2-0 in the top of the eighth.
Teoscar Hernandez's homer gives the Dodgers a 2-0 lead
If not for hitters with the last name Hernandez, Yu Darvish would have pitched a great game for the Padres.
Teoscar Hernandez pulled an inside slider into the left-field seats for the Dodgers' second run of the game.
Darvish followed by getting Max Muncie to fly out in right-field foul territory, but he was done for the night.
The Padres did not score a run in 22 innings
Left-hander Alex Vecia faced Jackson Merrill and hit him with a high inside fastball.
Prior to Vecia pitching, Evan Phillips threw 1 2/3 hitless innings with three strikeouts.
Alex Vecia tops out in 7th
Evan Phillips struck out Jurickson Proffer and Manny Machado in the top of the seventh inning, but he's coming on for Alex Vesier.
Yu Darvish through 6 innings
Yu Darvish held the Padres in the game. He threw a 1-2-3 sixth inning, getting Tommy Edman to fly out to left field, striking out Shohei Ohtani (0-for-3 with 2 Ks) and grounding out to shortstop Mookie Betts.
He threw 68 pitches through six innings, allowing one run on two hits with four strikeouts.
Evan Phillips pitches a 1-2-3 6th inning
Evan Phillips came on in relief for the Dodgers and retired the Padres for the sixth inning.
Kyle Higashioka struck out to lead off the frame, followed by a Luis Arez groundout to first base and a Fernando Tatis lineout to left field.
The Padres have now gone 21 innings without a win.
Yu Darvish's scoreless 5th innings
In addition to giving up a home run to Enrique Hernandez in the second inning, Yu Darvish nearly matched Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
He threw a 1-2-3 fifth inning with a Will Smith fly out to center field, an Enrique Hernandez strikeout and a Gavin Lux groundout to first base.
Darvish threw 60 pitches through five.
Yoshinobu embraces Yamamoto
Yoshinobu Yamamoto gets a hug from Dave Roberts in the Dodgers dugout, indicating that his night is probably over.
Yamamoto pitched a 1-2-3 fifth inning, striking out Xander Bogaerts, then popped out David Peralta to second base and grounded out to Jake Cronenworth at first.
He finished with five scoreless innings, allowing two hits with two strikeouts on 63 pitches.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto finished five scoreless innings
Yoshinobu Yamamoto got through five innings, which must have pleased Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. He's probably done so he doesn't have to go through the Padres lineup a third time.
Evan Phillips is warming up in the Dodgers bullpen, according to reporters.
RHP Evan Phillips is warming up #Dodger Bullpen … Yoshinobu Yamamoto is not seeing the third time #Parents order…
Yu Darvish struck out three Dodgers batters in the bottom of the fourth.
Freddie Freeman flied out to left field, Teoscar Hernandez struck out and Max Muncy lined out to shortstop.
Through four innings, Darvish threw 47 pitches and gave up one run on two hits.
Dodger Stadium is putting Manny Machado in the park
Manny Machado is 0-for-2 so far, but that might not have happened if he had hit anywhere but Dodger Stadium.
Manny Machado's first warning-track fly out tonight will be a home run in five stadiums, according to Statcast. His second could have been a home run in a dozen ballparks. The Padres did not get a run in 19 innings.
