Roki Sasaki's first appearance at Dodger Stadium ended in tears. His first season in Major League Baseball could end in triumph.

The 23-year-old Japanese pitcher produced a performance for the ages on Thursday as the Los Angels Dodgers eliminated the Philadelphia Phillies from the playoffs to move a step closer to the World Series.

Less than a month ago, Sasaki's place in the Dodgers' postseason plans was far from clear.

Having spent most of the regular season on the sidelines rehabbing a shoulder problem, the rookie pitcher only came off the injured list on September 24.

But fast forward three weeks and Sasaki has emerged as the Dodgers' late-innings savior, helping to plug the one major weakness in the team's roster -- a brittle bullpen that was among the worst in the league.

In the

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