Wed Sep 17 03:20:00 UTC 2025: ## Phillies Clinch NL East, Dodgers Fall in Extra Innings Amidst Playoff Strategy
**Los Angeles, CA** – The Los Angeles Dodgers suffered a 6-5 extra-innings loss to the Philadelphia Phillies Monday night at Dodger Stadium. The defeat, coupled with their recent performance, puts a dent in their hopes of securing the second seed in the National League playoffs, as the Phillies clinched the NL East with the victory.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts opted for a strategic pitching move, surprising fans by starting reliever Anthony Banda against the Phillies’ left-handed heavy lineup. Banda faced just three batters, striking out one and allowing a solo home run to Kyle Schwarber before being pulled.
“Anthony is going to play an important role in this series,” Roberts told reporters prior to the game. “The way they structure their lineup, just to get him on some lefties makes sense. We’ve got a chance to pick when to put him on them.”
Following Banda’s brief outing, Emmet Sheehan delivered a strong performance in a simulated bullpen role, pitching 5.2 innings, allowing one earned run, and striking out seven. This appearance aimed to prepare Sheehan, typically a starter, for a potential relief role in the upcoming playoffs.
Despite Sheehan’s strong outing, the Dodgers ultimately fell short. They currently hold a two-game lead over the San Diego Padres in the NL West and are slated for the No. 3 seed in the playoffs, where they would face the lowest seed in the Wild Card round. However, the 5.5-game lead the Phillies have over the Dodgers for the second seed and a bye in the first round could be difficult to surmount.
The Dodgers will look to bounce back Tuesday night as Shohei Ohtani takes the mound against the Phillies.
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*Patrick Warren is a beat writer for Inside the Dodgers.*
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