Dodgers rally past Padres for 11th NL West title in last 12 years
Today at 12:54 AM
LOS ANGELES — After a season with more than 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases, it was Shohei Ohtani's trickle of a single to right field that was the difference as the Dodgers won their 11th National League West title in the past dozen seasons.
Ohtani's 126th RBI of the season will be one of his most memorable, regardless of the 88-mph exit velocity. The run-scoring single came in the same inning Will Smith hit a game-tying two-run home run and Mookie Betts added a two-run single for some insurance.
An inning later, Andy Pages lit the fireworks with a mammoth two-run home run.
In a season when Ohtani has delivered a majority of the Dodgers' majestic shots, he let others flex their muscles, content to deliver on a three-hit night for his fifth multi-hit game over his last seven contests.
Walker Buehler pitched well in his final tuneup start, Anthony Banda (3-2) recorded the win in his return from the injured list and midseason arrival Michael Kopech recorded the final three outs to end the NL West chase.
Buehler gave up one run on five hits over five innings with one walk and one strikeout against the contact-happy Padres.
But not all moments were celebratory after Freddie Freeman departed in the Dodgers' productive seventh inning when he rolled his right ankle while trying to beat out a ground ball to first base.
The Dodgers clinched by winning two of three against the Padres this week. In the lone game San Diego won this week, the Padres celebrated themselves with their own champagne party in the visitors' clubhouse after securing a postseason berth.
The neighborhood carpet cleaner has never been so busy.
It was the first time the Dodgers clinched the division at home since the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and the first time at home with fans in the stands since 2018. A sellout crowd of 52,433, including retired Dodgers star Manny Ramirez, packed Dodger Stadium for the finale of the crucial series between the top two teams in the NL West.
The win also guaranteed the Dodgers (95-64) a top-two seed and a first-round bye in the postseason. They will open the playoffs on Saturday, Oct. 5 at home in a best-of-five NL Division Series.
With the Padres leading 2-0 through six innings, the Dodgers kicked off their five-run seventh in style. Max Muncy earned a leadoff walk and Smith tied it on a home run to center field, his 20th on the season but just his third this month.
Kiké Hernandez had a pinch-hit single before Pages was awarded first base on catcher's interference. Ohtani dribbler that found its way between Padres second baseman Jake Cronenworth and first baseman Luis Arraez.
After Betts hit his two-run double for a 5-2 lead, he thumped his chest at first base after going hitless in the first two games of the series.
More to come on this story.
