Playoff demons gone! Dodgers outlast Padres to advance to NLCS
LA TimesThis time, they didn’t choke. On a glorious night amid a roiling sea of joyful blue, the Dodgers wrapped their weathered arms around the San Diego Padres on Friday and crushed those brown jerseys like an empty paper sack, eventually exhaling with redemption, relief and a coveted spot just four wins from the World Series. In the winner-take-all Game 5 of the National League Division Series, the Dodgers took all the criticisms of the past two postseason collapses and squashed them under a barrage of fastballs and two breathtaking long balls in a near-perfect 2-0 victory over the Padres at a shamelessly joyful Dodger Stadium. Dodgers Dodgers vanquish recent postseason frustrations in NLDS Game 5 win over Padres Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the Dodgers’ pitching staff combined for a shutout and Kiké Hernández and Teoscar Hernández each hit home runs in win over the Padres. Kiké Hernández, center, celebrates with Mookie Betts, left, and Teoscar Hernández after hitting a solo home run for the Dodgers in the second inning against the San Diego Padres in Game 5 of the NLDS at Dodger Stadium on Friday.