After a somewhat dismal performance on Saturday, the Los Angeles Dodgers mustered just enough offense in the finale on Sunday to secure a 3-0 win and seal a two-games-to-one series victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The win was the 100th of the year for the Dodgers, the ninth-time in franchise history they hit the century milestone for victories.
Lefty starter Julio Urias notched the win for the Dodgers, improving his season record to 19-3. Urias threw five full shutout innings, surrendering five hits while striking out three on 85 pitches. The lefty’s 19 wins leads all the majors.
The Los Angeles offense was led by Corey Seager and Trea Turner, who accounted for all three of the team’s runs. Seager slugged a pair of homers, while Turner added one of his own. Coincidentally, the day saw both players hit the 100th long balls of their respective careers.
Seager’s 464-foot blast was the longest of his career and the second-longest of the season for the Dodgers. Hitting out of the two and three holes, Seager and Turner went back-to-back in the first inning. Seager’s second of the game came in the third frame.
Turner’s blast was his 25th of the year, the most he’s ever hit in a single season. His previous HR high was 19 back in both 2018 and 2019.
Both Seager and Turner shared their rookie years during the 2016 season, and both players are still in the conversation for the Los Angeles shortstop duties next year, although Turner appears to be in the driver’s seat with Seager heading towards free agency.
Along with Max Scherzer and Walker Buehler, Urias remains in the conversation as a strong contender in the National League Cy Young Award Race.
Starting pitcher Humberto Mejia took the loss for Arizona after going just 2-2/3 innings. His record dropped to 0-3.
Lefty reliever Justin Bruihl, righty Joe Kelly and righty Corey Knebel threw the sixth, seventh and eighth innings, holding Arizona scoreless. Kenley Jansen threw a one-hit ninth inning to notch his 36th save of the year.
In the meantime, while the Dodgers are winning series, the Giants are securing sweeps. San Francisco defeated the Colorado Rockies 6-2 on Sunday, maintaining a two-game divisional lead over the Dodgers.
After an off day on Monday, the Dodgers will begin a three-game series against the San Diego Padres on Tuesday before finishing the season with a three-game set against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Both series will be played at Dodger Stadium.
Is it true that the Giants and Cards will never lose again?
As I look at what the Giants have done this year, it seems as though they are the same team every game. Our guys, on the other hand, are a collection of Jekyll and Hydes. We never know who is going to show up that day ready to play and who is going to go through the game napping.
Just based on that fact alone, it would seem like our friends to the north are more deserving of the divisional title than we are. If, as we expect, we’ll have to win the WC to get to the Giants, that will eliminate our best pitcher right off the bat. We would have to go into the NLDS (assuming we get there) with our first two starters in that series (Buehler and Urias in some order) seemingly running on fumes.
I know we can’t just give up at this point and hand the division to the Giants, but part of me wants to have Urias and Buehler just sit until the NLDS. Maybe that would breathe a little life back into them. I realize that would be a bad look, although by the time Julio is ready for his next start things may already be settled anyway. Someone tell Mitch and Andre to be ready at a moment’s notice. They might just both get starts before the season is over.
They gotta let Urias make a run at 20 games. Even if it’s just for five innings. Most pitchers don’t get anywhere near that milestone.
I suppose you’re right. 20 game winners are not the norm these days.
All I know is that having to use Scherzer in the WC game will really mess up our rotation for the NLDS. He’ll only be able to start once in that series. Whomever starts game 1 will be availlable to start game 5 if it goes that far, but that won’t be Scherzer since the WC is on Tuesday on the NLDS starts Friday.
Don’t think they are ready to quit on this season quite yet so can’t set up the post season rotation or even rest anybody. Might be advantageous if they are out of it early. And Waldo is right. We owe scherzer nothing and why would we save him. Pitch him until he drops. He’s a stud. Pretend it is 1980.
Plus this is his free agent walk year. Every time the catcher puts up his glove as a target, Scherzer sees a dollar sign on it. Putting a pitch in the mitt is like hearing the cash register ring. [laughing]
At Dodger Stadium, I start Buehler. And give him enough rest where he will be fresh. He thrives in those kinds of games. He did it in game 163 in 2018, I think he could do it again. Waino will most likely get the nod for the Birds.
Scherzer is a stud, and we didn’t get him to necessarily put him on the same rest schedule as everyone else. I’d give him the ball in the playoffs anytime he says he’s ready to go. We paid a not small price to get him; this may be the only time we can get a payoff from our investment.