What the Los Angeles Dodgers wanted to accomplish on Tuesday was to beat the New York Yankees and win the World Series. That didn't happen. So they did what they thought was the next best thing. They certainly didn't win. But they found the most advantageous way to lose Game 4 while improving their Game 5 chances.

They were beaten up. The final score was New York 11, Los Angeles 4, turning a scheduled bullpen day into a chaotic affair for the Dodgers. This group needed bullpen games for every round of the playoffs: They entered October with a battered rotation, only three healthy starters, and therefore had no other choice. The strategy has worked in their favor on several occasions. (If any relief corps is up to the task, it's the Dodgers, who are not only among the best in the game but also among the deepest.) But things didn't go their way on Tuesday.

A third inning Grand slam by Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe gave New York a 5-2 lead. Although the Dodgers managed to narrow that lead, they were never able to fully close the gap and eventually let things fall apart completely. They hope that this will ultimately work in their favor. This meant they could save their best helpers.

They would have preferred to win. But if they lost their bullpen game? They knew letting it go early was the ideal way.

“The main thing was just saving the buddies out there,” said Dodgers right-hander Landon Knack, who pitched four innings, his longest outing of the month. “Ensuring that they are fully prepared for tomorrow and for the rest of the series is a really big deal for us.”

Most of the buddies in question didn't even have to think about warming up on Tuesday. (The group includes Alex Vesia, Ryan Brasier, Anthony Banda, Michael Kopech, Blake Treinen and Brusdar Graterol.) They all now have at least one day of rest before Game 5.

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Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts knew he didn't want to turn to any of those pitchers early in the night. When veteran reliever Daniel Hudson loaded the bases with a one-run lead in the third inning and brought in the Yankees' No. 7 hitter, Volpe, the manager didn't think to ask for one of his best relievers. The plan was to stick with Hudson: “That was his inning,” Roberts said. “I'm not going to make anyone pick Volpe in the third inning.” The decision resulted in a costly grand slam. It also clarified Roberts' strategy for the rest of the night.

The game was still close. But the manager had chosen his path. Although it remained a two-run game until the eighth inning, Roberts was determined to let the B team finish Game 4 rather than call on one of his bigger relievers. This approach was certainly not without risk. But Roberts seemed comfortable with it.

Saving the high-leverage relievers had two benefits. In addition to the obvious benefit of the rest — any extra day off can be helpful at this point in the postseason — there was the fact that it was intended to limit the number of looks the Yankees had at the Dodgers' top players. Unless a win seemed very, very likely, Roberts didn't want to risk crushing those pitchers in a loss.

“If there’s a silver lining, you know those big guns in the back of the bullpen had an off night,” Hudson said. “I’m sure they were all anxious to get in there tonight. But they’ll be good enough to get going tomorrow and hopefully we can just wrap things up.”

The job of closing out the night fell to Knack, who allowed one run in his four innings, and Brent Honeywell Jr., who followed him. Honeywell set an unfortunate record: he needed 50 pitches to get through a disastrous eighth inning. (He allowed five runs on four hits and a walk.) Never before had anyone in the World Series needed so many pitches to get through a frame. But all the Dodgers needed from him was to end the game without having to use another pitcher, and as ugly as it looked, Honeywell did just that.

Roberts sounded as optimistic as one could be after missing a chance to win the World Series. That only made sense. His team is up 3-1 in the series. He shouldn't have to handle another bullpen game: his three remaining healthy starters are ready to finish this. Jack Flaherty will start Game 5, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Walker Buehler in the starting lineup for a possible Games 6 and 7 if needed. There is no one who knows the dangers of a complacent 3-0 lead as well as Roberts. But he was confident that the mechanics of that defeat put his group in a better position to win again.

“I think it’s good that I have six players in my stable who are doing well and are rested,” said Roberts. “And being up 3-1, yes.”

The Dodgers lost Game 4. But they hope it increases their chances of winning it all in Game 5.

“We're trying to handle the whole series, keep everyone healthy, keep everyone fresh and ready to go,” Dodgers catcher Will Smith said. “We had guys performing today.”