PHILADELPHIA (Interstat) — Blake Snell delivered a postseason masterpiece, striking out nine over six dominant innings of one-hit ball, and the Los Angeles Dodgers erupted for four runs in the seventh inning before surviving a harrowing ninth to edge the Philadelphia Phillies 4-3 on Monday night, taking a commanding two-games-to-none lead in their National League Division Series.

A sellout crowd of 45,653 at Citizens Bank Park watched the Dodgers seize control of the best-of-five series behind Snell’s brilliance and a sudden offensive outburst that broke a scoreless pitchers’ duel. The Dodgers now return to Los Angeles needing just one win in the next three potential games to advance to the NL Championship Series.

For six innings, the game was a tense, scoreless standoff between Snell and Phillies starter Jesús Luzardo. Both left-handers were in complete command, with baserunners a rarity. Snell was particularly untouchable, allowing only a fifth-inning single to Edmundo Sosa and two walks while consistently overpowering the Phillies’ potent lineup. Luzardo was nearly as effective, holding the Dodgers to three hits and striking out five over his six frames.

The deadlock was shattered in the top of the seventh. Teoscar Hernández ignited the rally with a sharp single to center off Luzardo. Freddie Freeman followed by lacing a double down the right-field line, putting runners on second and third with no outs and chasing Luzardo from the game.

Reliever Tanner Banks entered and recorded a strikeout, but Enrique Hernández then hit a grounder to shortstop Trea Turner. Teoscar Hernández broke for home on contact and was initially called out on a close play. The Dodgers challenged the call, and after a video review, the ruling was overturned, awarding Hernández the run and giving Los Angeles a 1-0 lead. The Phillies then turned to Jhoan Duran, who walked Max Muncy to load the bases. After a pop out, pinch-hitter Will Smith came through with the biggest hit of the night, a two-run single to left field that scored Freeman and Enrique Hernández. Shohei Ohtani followed with an RBI single to right, his first hit of the series, plating Muncy to cap the four-run inning and give the Dodgers a 4-0 lead.

The Phillies began their comeback in the eighth against Dodgers reliever Emmet Sheehan. Pinch-hitter Max Kepler drilled a triple to right field and scored moments later on a sharp single by Trea Turner, cutting the deficit to 4-1.

Los Angeles carried that three-run lead into the bottom of the ninth, turning to Blake Treinen to close it out. The Phillies immediately threatened as Alec Bohm singled and J.T. Realmuto doubled, putting runners on second and third with no outs. Nick Castellanos then sliced a double down the left-field line, scoring both runners. In a heart-stopping moment, Castellanos slid headfirst into second base, barely eluding the tag in a play the Dodgers unsuccessfully challenged, sending the Philadelphia crowd into a frenzy and pulling the Phillies within a run at 4-3.

With the tying run on second and still nobody out, the Dodgers summoned Alex Vesia from the bullpen. He induced a fielder’s choice that cut down Castellanos at third for the first out. Harrison Bader then singled to left, putting the potential winning run on base. Vesia got Max Kepler to ground into a forceout at second for the second out, moving the tying run to third base.

With the game on the line, the Dodgers called upon Roki Sasaki to face Trea Turner. Sasaki needed just two pitches, getting Turner to ground out to second base, sealing the victory and recording the save.

Snell earned the win, improving to 7-4. Luzardo took the hard-luck loss, falling to 15-8. The victory pushes the Dodgers’ season record to 97-69, while the Phillies drop to 96-68.

The series shifts to Dodger Stadium for Game 3 on Wednesday. The Phillies, now facing elimination, must win to keep their season alive and force a Game 4 in Los Angeles.