The Dodgers sprayed champagne, took their shirts off and smoked cigars in the clubhouse as they celebrated their eleventh NL West division title in the last 12 years. The boys in blue stormed back from a 2-0 deficit with a five run rally in the bottom of the seventh to defeat the Padres and clinch the division crown in front of the home crowd on Thursday evening. Shohei Ohtani was 3 for 5. Mookie notched two hits and drove in two runs. Hernandez had two big hits, and the bullpen was fantastic. This was a true team effort and every Dodger contributed.
The night wasn’t all good news, as the injury carousel continued. Brusdar Graterol and Clayton Kershaw are unlikely to return. Freddie Freeman injured his ankle running out a grounder to first in the bottom of the seventh. He limped off the field and was later seen wearing a walking boot and using crutches during the postgame celebration. We did get good news on his status. There was no structural damage, x-rays were negative and he is expected to be back for the NLDS. Fingers crossed.
Now onto the highlights. The game was a tight pitching duel for the first six innings between Walker Buehler, and San Diego strong man Joe Musgrove. Buehler didn’t have his usual strikeout stuff, but showed he can still be trusted in a big game. He pitched to contact working around San Diego base runners all night, but was able to limit the damage. Buehler allowed one earned run on five hits across five effective innings, however he struck out only one.
Will Smith ties it up with one swing, his 20th HR of the year 💪 pic.twitter.com/3YE4YcNHk6
— MLB (@MLB) September 27, 2024
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 27, 2024
The Padres struck first by plating a run in the top of the fifth when former Dodger David Peralta walked (Buehler’s lone walk of the night) and advanced to third on a ground-rule double by Kyle Higashioka. Luis Arraez’s ground out scored him to give San Diego a 1-0 lead. The Pads added another run in the sixth when Jurickson Profar and Manny Machado reached on consecutive singles, and advanced to second and third on Jackson Merrill’s sacrifice. Xander Bogaerts’ sacrifice fly scored Profar to put San Diego in front with a 2-0 score.
On the opposite side of the mound, Joe Musgrove looked dominant and efficient early on. The Dodgers scattered just four hits against the big right hander and things were not looking hopeful. But Musgrove ran out of gas in the seventh. Max Muncy drew a clutch walk and Will Smith followed with a massive blast over the center field wall. Smith flipped his bat like Yasiel Puig while Dodger Stadium erupted. The two-run shot tied the game and sent Musgrove to the showers. Lefty Tanner Scott replaced Musgrove and promptly gave up a single to clutch Kike’, then Andy Pages reached base on a catcher’s interference call. Shohei Ohtani’s ground ball single into right plated Enrique Hernandez and put the Dodgers in front 3-2.
Go ahead, Shohei! pic.twitter.com/ULTKYIcPTO
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 27, 2024
The Dodgers didn’t take their foot off the gas pedal. Slumping Mookie Betts ended his slump with a base knock that scored two. He fist pumped at first and the Dodgers were up 5-2. The Dodgers added two more on a two-run home run from Pages. The real heroes on the night were the relievers. The Dodger bullpen are like front line workers, doing most of the work but getting little recognition. Evan Phillips, Anthony Banda, Blake Treinen, and Michael Kopech combined to allow just one run on three hits across four innings. Banda was especially good tossing 1.1 scoreless in his first outing since returning from the injured list. Kopech recorded the final out, a Higashioka pop out to second. The Dodgers wrapped it up with a team photo on the field before filing into the clubhouse for the postgame party.
The Dodgers not only clinched the NL West, they also clinched a first round bye in the postseason. The Dodgers will board a plane to Denver (probably a little hungover) to finish the regular season against the Rockies. The Dodgers don’t know yet who they will face in the NLDS, but the playoff series will open at Dodger Stadium on October 5. In the meantime the Dodgers can rest and take it easy during this final regular season series in Colorado. This was an especially impressive accomplishment considering how many injuries the Dodgers sustained to their pitching staff. As Tommy would say….”What a effing team!”. Lasorda would be proud of the 2024 Dodgers. Enjoy the night guys, because this never gets old.
