Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
After the Dodgers did actually clinch a playoff spot last night, they proceeded to clinch the NL West title tonight in a 4-0 victory over the Diamondbacks. That crown took a year’s vacation in the hands of the rival (fluke) Giants, but they’ve now made it nine of 10 years.
The Dodgers have also now won four games in a row and their last four series.
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Merrill Kelly has been excellent this year for the D-backs against basically everybody but the Dodgers, a trend that thankfully continued today.
The scoring got started in the 2nd after a Max Muncy single was cashed in with emphasis on a towering two-run homer by Joey Gallo, his 17th of the year.
Freddie Freeman added to the lead when he started the 3rd with a massive dong of his own over the pool in right-center field, his 20th of the year to make it 3-0.
They actually didn’t get a ton of runs against Kelly this time, but the threats in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th did run his pitch count up and he was out of the game after the 5th.
The lead was extended against the D-backs pen, with Max crushing a solo shot in the 7th for a 4-0 lead, his 20th.
On the other side of things was Clayton Kershaw, who has certainly looked healthy in his return from the IL and today was another step in proving that.
He was dominant tonight, issuing just two singles and a walk without allowing a runner to get past first base. Kershaw was also efficient, using just 82 pitches in seven shutout innings, only exiting due to the Dodgers playoff situation and caution with Kershaw’s back.
Of course, he did get help from the defense as well, including a stellar play from Trea Turner and a flat-out ridiculous one from Mookie Betts.
7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K, 82 Pitches
While it felt like a blowout, it wasn’t actually, and Caleb Ferguson injected some excitement into it in the 8th by allowing the first two batters to reach on a walk and single. However, he only required two batters to get out from that jam, getting a strikeout and then rolling a pair to end it.
Craig Kimbrel then entered for the 9th and continued to look like a different man, cruising through a 1-2-3 frame to clinch it.
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Happy faces.
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98-43 overall now and 49-25 on the road.
| TEAM | CHASE | GAMES |
|---|---|---|
| Astros | MLB | 6.5 Up |
| Mets | NL | 10 Up |
| Padres | NL West | 20.5 Up |
The Dodgers will go for a sweep tomorrow at 3:40 PM HT/6:40 PM PT/9:40 PM ET, presumably with everybody resting, and Dustin May facing Zach Davies.
