PHILADELPHIA (Interstat) — Blake Snell delivered a masterful postseason performance, striking out nine over six dominant innings of one-hit ball, and the Los Angeles Dodgers survived a frantic ninth-inning rally by the Philadelphia Phillies to secure a 4-3 victory in Game 2 of their National League Division Series on Monday night.

A crowd of 45,653 at Citizens Bank Park watched the Dodgers seize a two-games-to-none lead in the best-of-five series, pushing the Phillies to the brink of elimination.

For six innings, the game was a tense pitchers’ duel between Snell and Philadelphia’s Jesús Luzardo. Both left-handers were in command, but Snell was virtually untouchable, allowing just a single to Edmundo Sosa in the fifth and two walks while thoroughly stifling a potent Phillies lineup.

The offensive deadlock was shattered in the top of the seventh. Teoscar Hernández ignited the rally with a single off Luzardo, and Freddie Freeman followed with a double. After a strikeout, Enrique Hernández drove in the game’s first run with a fielder’s choice, a play the Phillies unsuccessfully challenged.

Luzardo was replaced by Matt Strahm, 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 then added an RBI single, his first hit of the series, to plate Muncy and cap the four-run outburst, giving the Dodgers a commanding 4-0 lead.

The Phillies finally got on the board in the eighth against Dodgers reliever Emmet Sheehan. Pinch-hitter Max Kepler tripled and scored on a single by Trea Turner, cutting the deficit to 4-1.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Phillies mounted a serious threat against Dodgers closer Blake Treinen. Alec Bohm led off with a single and J.T. Realmuto followed with a double, putting the tying runs in scoring position with no outs. Nick Castellanos then sliced a double down the left-field line, scoring both runners. Castellanos slid headfirst into second base, barely eluding the tag on a play the Dodgers challenged, but the call was upheld, sending the Philadelphia crowd into a frenzy.

The double made it a 4-3 game and brought the potential winning run to the plate. Treinen was replaced by Alex Vesia, who recorded two outs but allowed a single to Harrison Bader that put the potential tying run at third base. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts then turned to Roki Sasaki, who got Max Kepler to ground into a fielder’s choice to end the game, stranding the tying run 90 feet away.

Snell earned the win, improving to 7-4. Luzardo, who was charged with two runs on three hits over six-plus innings, took the loss, falling to 15-8. Sasaki recorded the final out for his second save of the season.

The series now shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Wednesday. The Dodgers, who improved to 97-69, will look to complete the sweep, while the 96-68 Phillies face a must-win situation to extend their season.