Post-Game 162 Thread: Kershaw Gets 300th K (And 301st); Dodgers Sweep

DODGERS 6, PADRES 3

The Dodgers finish the year 92-70 and champions of the NL West for the third straight year, following today's sweep of the Padres. More importantly, Clayton Kershaw became the first pitcher in 13 years to reach 300 strikeouts. And even more important than that, no one was injured today (though Jimmy Rollins, given the role to manage by Don Mattingly, walked awful slowly out to the mound to relieve Kershaw in the fourth inning. Rollins, wearing Lasorda's #2 jersey, took his own sweet time from the dugout).

Joc Pederson uncorked a two-run HR in the second. Corey Seager had a solo shot in the sixth, and Chris Heisey had a two-run HR in that same frame. Ronald Torreyes singled for his first major-league RBI in the eighth.

Kershaw, with seven Ks, was his old dominant self. Chris Hatcher got the save, as Kenley Jansen was playing the role of Rick Honeycutt (pitching coach) today, alongside Rollins.

The Mets won vs. Washington, snapping a five-game losing streak. We face them Friday at the Ravine.

Post-Game 138 Thread: Kershaw Just Keeps Rolling Along

A bit of an obscure pull on a pretty average movie, I know. The play was better.

DODGERS 6, ANGELS 4

Clayton Kershaw pitched us into our fifth consecutive victory, our eighth-straight win against the Angels, and a magic number of 16 with 24 games to go (our 8.5-game lead is wider than any other division leader's except Kansas City). And as things keep rolling along, while Don Mattingly fields lineups with Justin Ruggiano (.247 batter; 2-for-5 with a HR and double), Chris Heisey (.133 batter who inexplicably notched an RBI, his first all season), and Chase Utley (1-for-5; okay, maybe there's no excuse for Utley at this point)--it is shocking that we're coasting to victories like this.

Corey Seager went 2-for-3 with an RBI double. Carl Crawford had a FC RBI. A.J. Ellis even had a RBI. What is going on here?!

Pedro Baez was ineffective in the ninth inning (two batters faced, two ER ceded; turned a 6-2 lead into a 6-4 margin), so we had to go with Kenley Jansen to maintain the victory (and notch his 31st save). Kershaw only had eight strikeouts in his seven innings, which is entirely mortal (for Kershaw). Mike Trout went 0-for-2 with two walks, and Albert Pujols went 0-for-4.

And yet, we keep winning, things just keep...rolling along. It's great to see, and everything. But I have this sinking feeling that we're peaking too early. I've got a singular impression things are moving too fast.

Post-Game 56 Thread: Kershaw Deals, Puig Raises Stakes, Cards Fold

"Damn happy to be here, thank you very much!"

DODGERS 2, CARDINALS 0

The hit Clayton Kershaw gave up came early, a second-inning single to Randal Grichuk with one out, so there was no suspense tonight. But at the end of the game, Kershaw (8.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB and 11 Ks) and Kenley Jansen (1.0 IP, 1 K) had held the Cardinals to that sole hit all evening, allowing the Dodgers "offense" to muster just enough to get us the victory, our first in this series so far.

Of course, the win was punctuated by the return of Yasiel Puig, who followed a Chris Heisey leadoff double in the seventh by doubling in Heisey for the RBI. Puig scored one batter later on a Justin Turner single that was almost caught by Cardinals 2B Kolten Wong; Puig, running aggressively as always, was already heading home as the ball squibbled out of Wong's glove and into shallow centerfield. Enrigque Hernandez promptly GIDPd and allowed Jimmy Rollins (0-for-3 with a K) to quickly squash the rally. Luckily, those two runs were all that we needed.

So we're 2-4 against the best team in the NL, the same team that has killed us in the postseason ever since the Nutshot incident in 2009. We've got Zack Greinke going for us tomorrow on Sunday Night Baseball. We've scored a total of four runs in the first three games in this series, and are fortunate to have come away with one win. Let's see if we can make this respectable.

photo: AP / Mark J. Terrill

Post-Game 52 Thread: No Retreat, No Surrender

DODGERS 9, ROCKIES 8

The Dodgers dug deep in Game 2 of the doubleheader, and came away with one of the most amazing victories of the year. After dropping Game 1 and watching their NL West lead shrink to one game, the Dodgers saw a 4-0 lead evaporate and clawed back to tie the game at 5 in the seventh off a Joc Pederson triple (Pederson had also homered earlier in the game, as had Enrique Hernandez and Adrian Gonzalez). The 5-5 tie quickly turned sour, however, when Yimi Garcia allowed Troy Tulowitzki a two-run HR to make it 7-5 Colorado. The Rockies tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth.

The stage was set for dramatics in the ninth inning, however. Alberto Callaspo, Jimmy Rollins, and Chris Heisey led off the inning with singles. Rockies pitcher Rafael Betancourt got Justin Turner to strike out, and Pederson to fly out to left. But with two out and down by three runs, Alex Guerrero launched a grand slam to center field, hurling the Dodgers back in front with a 9-8 lead. Amazing! The Dodgers went on to load the bases again in that frame, before Callaspo lined out for the final out. Kenley Jansen came in for the bottom of the ninth, and allowed a one-out double but stranded the runner at third by striking out Ben Paulsen, to win the game.

Right after that, the Giants saw a 2-0 lead disappear and ended up losing 7-4 at home, so the NL West lead is back to two games. The Giants game is also significant because it signals they will lose the belt to Pittsburgh. If Pittsburgh goes on to lose to Atlanta June 5-7, and then the Braves proceed to lose to the Padres June 8-11 (a four-game series, which makes it tough), then it could be all set up for the Dodgers to reclaim the belt in the Padres series June 12-14. The plot thickens!

However, the groin stretches. One more, just for QuadSevens: