LOS ANGELES — Well, Dodger fans, you might as well set aside a few bucks for Wild Card Series tickets.

(OK, more than a few bucks. It is part of the postseason, after all.)

In the previous three seasons of the best-of-three first-round series, coinciding with the increase in the playoff field to six teams per league, the Dodgers had always avoided it by being among the top two division champions.

But that almost certainly won’t be the case this year. The Philadelphia Phillies – right now the No. 2 NL division leader behind Milwaukee – might have made sure of that Monday night with their 6-5, 10-inning victory at Dodger Stadium.

That puts the Phils 5½ games ahead of the Dodgers in the chase for a first-round bye, with 12 games left going into Tuesday. A sweep this week might have given

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