SAN DIEGO -- It hasn’t always looked pretty for the Dodgers. Over the last couple of years, their relationship with the postseason has been complicated, filled with more disappointments than lasting memories.

NLDS Game 5, presented by Booking.com: Friday, 8 p.m. ET/5 PT on FOX

But as the Dodgers faced elimination for a third consecutive National League Division Series on Wednesday, they kept saying things would be different this time around. They were ready to finally punch back when their backs were pinned against the wall.

Staving off elimination with an 8-0 blowout win over the Padres in Game 4 of the NLDS at Petco Park to extend the best-of-five series to a win-or-go home game at Dodger Stadium on Friday, the Dodgers finally showed the fight that everyone was waiting for.

"You definitely kind of expect us to go five games," Mookie Betts told FS1 after the game. "I mean, it's been back and forth all year. Anything can happen in these games. But I think it'll be great. I think the stadium will be rocking, it'll be loud. But we just have to continue to play our game and don't try and do too much. Just control the things that we can control and come out ready to go."

In all best-of-five postseason series, teams that have won Game 4 when trailing 2-1 have then won Game 5 and the series 27 of 48 times (56%). However, teams are only 62-66 all-time in the postseason when playing a winner-take-all game in their home ballpark. That includes the Brewers’ loss to the Mets in Game 3 of this year’s NL Wild Card Series.

With their starting pitching being an issue to start this postseason -- and not having a better option for Wednesday’s game, the Dodgers leaned on a bullpen game to save their season. It was an unconventional move, even in today’s game, and especially for a club that has one of the highest payrolls in baseball.

The Dodgers, however, never flinched at the idea. Instead, their bullpen responded with one of the best pitching performances of the season. One reliever at a time, they just wouldn’t let the season end.

Ryan Brasier got the start for the Dodgers and the veteran right-hander took down the first four outs of the game without much of an issue. Once the Padres’ string of lefties were due up in the second, manager Dave Roberts turned to left-hander Anthony Banda, who got Jake Cronenworth to pop out to end a two-out threat.

Getting through the Padres’ lineup for the first time was always going to be key for the Dodgers. They felt if they got through the first couple of innings, they could then line up their high-leverage relievers perfectly. That’s exactly what they did.

The Dodgers turned to Michael Kopech in the third inning, the earliest he’s been used in a game since coming to L.A. at the Trade Deadline. Kopech did his job and passed the baton off to left-hander Alex Vesia to match up against the Padres’ lefties in the fourth.

With the game just about secured, the Dodgers made sure the series was heading back to Dodger Stadium by deploying high-leverage arms in Evan Phillips, Daniel Hudson and Blake Treinen. In the ninth, rookie right-hander Landon Knack made his postseason debut and capped off the combined shutout.