The best way Dave Roberts framed it, Wednesday was a day for composure, not concern.
The Dodgers supervisor wasn’t on the lookout for his gamers to offer impassioned speeches, even within the wake of Tuesday’s gut-punch of a loss that ended on a triple play.
He didn’t fireplace up the clubhouse or maintain some impromptu late-season assembly, even with the crew’s division lead dwindling. As an alternative, within the second act of this week’s pivotal three-game sequence in opposition to the San Diego Padres, all Roberts desired was a clear, full efficiency from his injury-plagued however ever-resilient squad.
“We play 162 video games, and there are numerous heartbreaking video games,” Roberts stated earlier than first pitch. “And the factor about baseball gamers, it’s important to come again and win the following day.”
With an enormous serving to hand from Shohei Ohtani and a lights-out bullpen, that’s precisely what the Dodgers did.
Wednesday’s 4-3 win over the Padres did not clinch the Nationwide League West crown for the Dodgers. However with 4 video games to go within the common season, and their division lead again as much as three video games, they will get the champagne bottles and plastic wrap prepared.
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At yet one more juncture the place their place atop the standings gave the impression to be teetering, the Dodgers as soon as once more discovered a option to regular their season. And in the event that they beat the Padres (91-67) once more Thursday evening, or win a minimum of twice of their remaining regular-season sequence in Colorado this weekend, they’ll declare their eleventh division title within the final 12 years.
“It was huge to bounce again after final evening,” third baseman Max Muncy stated. “I assumed we performed with somewhat bit extra power.”
The primary supply of electrical energy got here from Ohtani, who continued his torrid late-season run with the newest affirmation of his MVP candidacy. The slugger not solely went two for 3 with a double, a stroll, two RBIs and his 56th stolen base, however he performed a key position in every of the crew’s three scoring rallies as effectively, most notably a single within the sixth inning to interrupt a 3-3 tie.
“I believe the joy of the followers and the spirit of the crew are excessive,” Ohtani stated in Japanese, after enhancing to 19 for his final 34 throughout an unimaginable eight-game hitting streak. “I believe these are elements to intensify focus.”
Scuffling first baseman Freddie Freeman additionally confirmed some life on the plate, gathering two hits. Gavin Lux shook off a four-for-37 skid with an RBI single within the fourth earlier than including one other single within the eighth.
And whereas beginning pitcher Jack Flaherty grinded by way of a five-inning, three-run begin to end his season with a 3.17 earned-run common — “It wasn’t fairly,” Flaherty stated, “however at this level, a win is a win” — the Dodgers bullpen was lights out the remainder of the best way, combining for 4 scoreless innings whereas yielding simply three walks and no hits.
“You noticed them [win last night] with most likely some of the weird endings of a recreation I’ve witnessed, apart from possibly Sport 4 of the World Collection in opposition to Tampa Bay,” right-hander Blake Trienen, who highlighted the reduction effort with a seven-pitch, two-strikeout eighth inning in opposition to the center of the Padres lineup, instructed SportsNet LA.
“That doesn’t sit effectively,” Treinen added. “I hate shedding. And them being a division rival, it’s not enjoyable. Phenomenal gamers over there, however I take it private. I do know guys right here, clearly, we had a bitter style in our mouth. So to return again right now and win this recreation is nice.”
Certainly, simply as they did when going through related conditions in Arizona a month in the past and in Atlanta final week, the Dodgers rebounded with a seemingly renewed sense of urgency.
The protection set the tone early. Muncy made a spinning throw on the sport’s opening play. Lux turned a double play at second to finish the primary inning. Shortstop Miguel Rojas snagged a line drive with a dive within the third, although he later left the sport due to a left adductor damage that can require an injection and will hold him out of motion till Sunday.
Catcher Will Smith additionally ended the sixth inning by throwing out Xander Bogaerts as he tried to steal second.
“That’s what it’s good to do to win video games,” Flaherty stated.
The bats offered a few early leads.
Teoscar Hernández opened the scoring within the first with a two-out, two-strike single, plating Ohtani after he walked and superior to second on a wild pitch.
A line-drive double from Tommy Edman within the fourth sparked one other two-out rally, establishing Lux for his RBI single and Ohtani for an RBI double that was roped off the right-field wall with a 117-mph exit velocity.
“It fires us up,” Roberts stated of Ohtani’s scorching type. “When your greatest participant is taking part in with emotion, everybody follows.”
Flaherty didn’t hold the Dodgers in entrance, giving up two runs in a aggravating 32-pitch second inning earlier than leaving a fastball up within the zone within the fifth that Fernando Tatis Jr. blasted for a house run deep to left subject.
“The irritating half is us getting the lead and never going out and placing up a shutdown inning,” stated Flaherty, who gave up 4 hits and three walks whereas putting out 5. “That’s one of many huge issues, is holding the momentum.”
However from there, the bullpen preserved the 3-3 tie, with Alex Vesia and Evan Phillips every spinning a scoreless body. Then, Ohtani once more delivered within the clutch within the sixth, battling again from an 0-and-2 rely in opposition to Padres left-hander Adrian Morejon earlier than lining his go-ahead single by way of the center of the infield.
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“He’s sniffing the postseason,” Roberts stated, “and understanding how necessary these video games are.”
Michael Kopech’s ninth-inning save didn’t come straightforward, with the hard-throwing right-hander strolling a batter and giving up a stolen base. However when he ended the sport by blowing a 101-mph fastball previous Donovan Solano, the Dodgers erupted within the dugout — mirroring the response of a 52,310-person crowd.
“I count on our guys to be emotionally exhausted [and] spent each recreation from now going ahead,” Roberts stated. “In the event that they’re not, they’re not leaving sufficient on the market.”
On Wednesday evening, the Dodgers appeared to embrace that message, establishing a possibility on Thursday to clinch the NL West at Dodger Stadium for the primary time since 2018.
“You simply wish to exit and discover methods to win, it doesn’t matter what it takes,” Flaherty stated. “So full crew effort. And we acquired to get one other one tomorrow.”
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This story initially appeared in Los Angeles Instances.
