Max Muncy and Chris Taylor each had a clutch hit and the Los Angeles Dodgers clinched the National League West with a 6-2 win over the Seattle Mariners in 11 innings.
Clayton Kershaw’s fastball velocity again did not exceed 90 mph and he issued two walks in the first inning, though those wound up being the only free passes given out. Kershaw pitched through the early traffic and allowed just two hits while collecting four strikeouts over four scoreless innings.
Kershaw’s performance kept the game scoreless while the Dodgers failed to take advantage of three doubles from Jason Heyward.
His first extra-base hit came with two outs in the second inning, and was followed by James Outman stranding him. The bigger missed opportunity for the Dodgers was when Heyward led off the fifth inning with a double.
Mookie Betts nearly put the Dodgers ahead but was robbed of a two-out hit and RBI by Julio Rodríguez making a diving catch.
Heyward doubled again with two outs in the seventh inning, but was left on base by Outman for a second time. Heyward’s three doubles nonetheless tied a Dodgers franchise record. Miguel Vargas also achieved the feat this season.
Emmet Sheehan followed Kershaw with three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and picking up five strikeouts. He gave way to Alex Vesia in the eighth, and the lefty reliever ended up in some trouble as the Mariners greeted him with back-to-back singles.
Ryan Brasier inherited two runners on and retired both batters faced to get the Dodgers out of the jam.
Brusdar Graterol sent the game into extras and the Dodgers broke the scoreless tie behind Kolten Wong’s sacrifice fly with the bases loaded. But Evan Phillips wasn’t able to convert the save, with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of 10th tying the game.
Hits from Muncy, Taylor and Kiké Hernández in the 11th sealed the win.
Dodgers clinch NL West
Aided by the San Francisco Giants losing one game from their doubleheader against the Colorado Rockies, the Dodgers clinched the NL West for a 10th time in the past 11 seasons.
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