Dodgers 6, Mariners 2: A clinch of the NL West with win #90

Chad Moriyama 09/16/2023 Game Recaps Leave A Comment

In the big picture, today’s game wasn’t that important to the Dodgers, but facing a Mariners team fighting for their playoff lives and with the NL West on the line, it seemed like it was. The two teams played like it, holding each other to an intense scoreless draw through nine, but it was the Dodgers that came up with the crooked number in extras for a 6-2 victory.

That’s a series win, their 90th win of the season, and the NL West clincher.

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With Clayton Kershaw ailing, it’s no longer necessarily just a question of effectiveness, but whether he can even take the ball. And things looked bleak early as he uncharacteristically walked two batters in the 1st, but he worked around that jam and all the others than came after it. A lead-off single in the 2nd was stranded in place, a double in the 3rd was erased by a caught stealing, and then Kershaw finally got a clean frame in the 4th. That was it, but it was enough.

An early exit, as promised, but effective: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K, 56 Pitches.

The problem was that the Dodgers weren’t doing anything on the other end against Bryce Miller either. Like the Mariners, they got one baserunner on in the first three innings that were stranded, and then went down in order in the 4th.

But the 5th represented a chance, as Jason Heyward doubled for the second time to start the inning. However, he could only advance to third after a strikeout and groundout, and then Julio Rodriguez robbed Mookie Betts of an RBI single.

After a walk and an out in the 6th, Miller’s night was done, but it took all of one pitch from the pen to end the frame. Heyward’s third double in the 7th was stranded, they got nothing in the 8th as well, and then got dominated in the 9th to basically be shutout.

——

Fortunately, the Dodgers pen was even better.

In a potential playoff preview, Emmet Sheehan was the piggyback for Kershaw and he certainly starred in his role. Sheehan set the Mariners down in order in the 5th, struck out the side in the 6th, and then allowed just a single in the 7th to complete a dominant three frames and keep the game scoreless.

The 8th belonged to Alex Vesia, who promptly gave up back-to-back singles to put himself in trouble immediately. He rebounded with a strikeout, which was the end of his night as Dave Roberts came to get him.

Ryan Brasier has turned a new leaf with the Dodgers and has added strikeouts in the last month or so, looking dominant in striking out Julio and Teoscar Hernandez to end the threat.

Brusdar Graterol was next up in the 9th and was equally impressive, sending things to extras on a clean 11-pitch inning that included a strikeout.

Bonus baseball!

First things first, as Amed Rosario entered as a designated runner for J.D. Martinez at second. That seemed like it might matter after Chris Taylor rolled an infield single to corner the runners and Heyward hit a medium-deep fly to right. However, Rosario decided not to test it, so things remained scoreless.

James Outman followed by getting grazed on the jersey to load the bases, and former Mariner Kolten Wong pinch-hit with the game on the line. After getting behind 0-2, Wong worked the count back to 3-2 and then managed to lift a deep fly to right-center, allowing Rosario to score easily to make it 1-0. Mookie was up next but got unlucky again, lining out to left to complete the frame.

That left Evan Phillips in the 10th to try and save it, and he got out number one on a groundout to first, which moved the runner to third. Another groundout followed, this time to Max Muncy, who went home to get the runner after a rundown.

Phillips then looked for the final out against pinch-hitting Mike Ford, but he left a cutter over the plate, and Ford banged a single to tie the game at 1-1. A double and an intentional walk followed to load the bases, and Phillips did get it to an 11th with another groundout.

The 11th started with a Freddie Freeman strikeout and a Will Smith intentional walk, but Muncy came through on an 0-2 count, poking a single to left-center for a 2-1 lead.

Rosario followed in the DH spot with a walk to load things up, and Taylor came through with a bloop single up his own to drive in two and make it 4-1. Heyward then singled for his fourth hit of the game to re-load the bases, and after an Outman strikeout, Enrique Hernandez blooped one in there himself to make it 6-1.

Joe Kelly then entered for … well, not even a save anymore. Of course, he decided to make things a bit fun by making an error to start. Then even after bouncing back with a pair of strikeouts, the latter strikeout pitch got away to score a run and make it 6-2.

Thankfully, the NL West clinch did eventually come on a grounder to second baseman Mookie.

Looking for the celebrations? Those are here.

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NLRECORD
Braves96-52
Dodgers90-57 (5.5 GB)
Brewers84-64 (12 GB)
NL WESTRECORD
Dodgers90-57
Diamondbacks78-72 (13.5 GB)

*Either still playing or will play later.

Last time you’ll have to see that NL West chart.

The series ends tomorrow with the typical Sunday afternoon game as the Dodgers go for the sweep at 10:10 AM HT/1:10 PM PT/4:10 PM ET with likely some kind of Gavin Stone and Ryan Yarbrough hybrid against Logan Gilbert.

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