Thursday, September 26, 2024
Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2024
The Los Angeles Dodgers are the National League Western Division champions. This is the eleventh Western Division championship since 2013.
Walker Buehler hurled his best game of the year. The Dodgers overcame a two-run deficit. They scored 5 runs in the seventh. Andy Pages added a two-run bomb in the eighth. Again, the bullpen performed outstandingly. The Dodgers smashed the San Diego Padres 7-to-2.
Brusdar Graterol went on the IL with right shoulder issues. Miguel Rojas received a shot to relieve pain in his groin, but he is determined to play in the postseason. Clayton Kershaw won’t be in the NLDS because of big toe inflammation.
Walker Buehler had an opportunity to clinch the National League Western Division. He allowed a single to Fernando Tatis with an out in the first and a single to Manny Machado. Buehler escaped the jam scorelessly.
Mookie Betts singled with an out in the first. The Dodgers stranded him.
Buehler allowed a single to begin the second inning. Two ground outs moved the runner to third, but Buehler stranded him.
The Dodgers didn’t do anything offensively in the second.
Buehler was perfect in the third.
The Dodgers didn’t do anything offensively in the third.
Machado led off the fourth with a single. The Padres didn’t do anything else in the fourth against Buehler.
Freddie Freeman doubled with one out in the fourth but was stranded.
With an out in the fifth, Buehler issued a walk and a ground-rule double. A ground out scored a run. Buehler got out of the jam without allowing any more damage.
Gavin Lux doubled with two outs in the fifth and was stranded.
Evan Phillips relieved Buehler in the sixth. He allowed a single to begin the inning. He allowed another single by Machado. A sacrifice fly doubled the Padres’ lead.
Anthony Banda relieved Phillips with two outs in the sixth. Banda got the last out.
Shohei Ohtani singled to open the sixth and moved to second Betts’ grounder. Freeman’s fly moved Ohtani to third. The Dodgers couldn’t capitalize on the scoring opportunity.
Banda continued pitching in the seventh with a perfect inning.
Max Muncy walked to begin the seventh. Will Smith socked a two-run homer that tied the game, his 20th home run of the season. Kiké Hernández, hitting for Lux, singled. Andy Pages reached on catcher’s interference. Ohtani singled in Hernàndez and moved Pages to third. Betts singled in two runs. Freddie Freeman was hurt on a ground out moving Betts to second. Teoscar Hernández was walked intentionally.
Blake Treinen relieved Banda in the eighth. He issued a walk to begin the eighth. He allowed a stolen base. He got out of the jam scorelessly.
With two outs in the eighth, Kiké Hernández singled and went to second on a wild pitch. Pages blasted a two-run homer. Ohtani doubled. Ohtani had 400 total bases, the first player since 2001.
Michael Kopech relieved Treinen in the ninth. He allowed a double to begin the inning. Kopech preserved the victory.
