Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
Behind potential Cy Young award winner Zack Greinke and just enough offense, the Dodgers clinched home-field advantage with a 2-1 win against the Padres on Saturday night.
Thanks to the Nationals sweeping a doubleheader earlier in the day, the Dodgers’ 91 wins are enough to have the National League Division Series begin in Los Angeles on Friday (afternoon? evening?).
Greinke was his normal good self: 8 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, 1 HR, 108 pitches, 77 strikes, 12/6 GO/AO. Seeing as he won’t pitch until Saturday, Don Mattingly allowed him to throw a few more pitches than you might expect in this kind of game. His only mistake was to Austin Hedges. The pitch was intended to be low-and-away, and it end up-and-in … and in the left-center field pavilion. Other than that, Greinke was great in his final tune-up before the postseason.
Justin Turner launched a solo home run in the first inning and Adrian Gonzalez drove in the would-be game-winning run with about the most unproductive run-scoring play in baseball — a double play. Yasiel Puig went 1-for-3 in his return to the lineup.
Kenley Jansen ran into some trouble in the ninth inning. He struck out Alexi Amarista and allowed a single to Jedd Gyorko. He followed that up by hitting Brett Wallace with a pitch. He would get a fly out and line out to end the game.
Clayton Kershaw (16-7, 2.16 ERA) makes his final case for the Cy Young award against Frank Garces (0-0, 5.00). First pitch is scheduled for 12:10 p.m. Pacific time (and hour earlier than normal). Don’t expect a CGSHO from him, but do expect him to get at least six strikeouts, which would give him 300 on the season. #TeamKershaw
