Blake Treinen threw his hands in the sky. His teammates poured out of the dugout and swallowed him near the mound.
Around them, the collective force of 53,000 fans all too accustomed to October frustration and heartbreak roared in delirious unison.
And not for the last time this fall, either.
Not after a nearly flawless performance from their ball club on Friday.
With a 2-0 defeat of the San Diego Padres in Game 5 of the National League Division Series, the Dodgers did more than just eliminate their Southern California rivals and advance to the NL Championship Series.