Dodgers bullpen outlasts Nationals to win NLDS

WASHINGTON -- Breaking down Game 5 of the National League Division Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Nationals at Nationals Park.

Dodgers 4, Nationals 3: Dodgers win series, 3-2.

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The game: Max Scherzer spent most of the first six innings mowing down Dodgers, holding Los Angeles hitless through four innings after the Nats took an early lead on an RBI single by Danny Espinosa in the second. But Scherzer appeared to tire in the middle innings, especially after walking Justin Turner on 13 pitches in the fourth. 

The Dodgers loaded the bases against the Nats' ace in the fifth but could not score. With Scherzer's pitch count escalating, Dusty Baker opted to leave the pitcher in the game to open the seventh inning. But Joc Pederson led off the frame by smacking an opposite-field solo homer, tying the game and ending Scherzer's night. 

Baker followed with a cavalcade of relievers -- five in the seventh inning alone -- and the Dodgers rallied to take the lead on an RBI single by Carlos Ruiz that snuck past the glove of Washington third baseman Anthony Rendon. Turner then broke the game open with a two-run triple off Shawn Kelley. 

Meanwhile, after a shaky start by lefty Rich Hill, the Dodgers' bullpen stifled the Nats' offense through the middle innings. Joe Blanton relieved Hill with 1 1/3 perfect innings, and rookie Julio Urias followed with two scoreless frames to earn the win in relief. 

Washington pinch-hitter Chris Heisey drew the game closer with a two-run homer off Grant Dayton in the seventh. But...

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Manager's special: With the Nats threatening to retake the lead in the bottom half of the seventh with no out and a runner on base, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts turned to closer Kenley Jansen. Jansen, who had not pitched in the seventh inning since 2013, worked his way out of the jam by striking out Jayson Werth and Anthony Rendon. 

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State of the series: With the win, the Dodgers move on the NLCS where they'll face the Cubs in a seven-game set starting Saturday in Chicago. They'll look to advance to the World Series for the first time since their championship 1988 season. The Nationals go home, extending their title drought to 48 years. The Expos/Nationals franchise has never reached the World Series. 

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Man of the Moment: Turner. Not only did the 31-year-old infielder serve to elevate Scherzer's pitch count all by himself with the 13-pitch walk in the fifth, he provided the Dodgers two big insurance runs with his seventh-inning triple. The undisputed star of the series, Turner hit .400 with a 1.324 OPS across the five games. 

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Needing a mulligan: With the Nats still leading, 1-0, in the sixth, Nationals third base coach Bob Henley sent Jayson Werth home on a Ryan Zimmerman double to left field in the sixth, and Werth was out at the plate by roughly 30 feet. The play ended the inning.

"He's aggressive, and there was two outs," Baker said after the game. "He feels terrible about that because it didn't work. But, you know, that wasn't what lost the game, really."

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What you missed on TV: An enthusiastic home crowd, undaunted by the early Metro closings that threatened to leave many fans marooned in Southeast D.C., providing thunderous applause for every Scherzer strikeout. The Nats may have lost the game, but not for lack of support. 

Nationals fans chant 'Metro sucks!' as last train leaves with Dodgers leading in 7th

Gallery: Nationals, Dodgers clash in the NLDS