Matt Kemp singled, doubled twice and drove in three runs, and left-hander Rich Hill threw seven shutout innings Sunday afternoon, helping the Los Angeles Dodgers force a one-game tiebreaker for the National League West title with a 15-0 embarrassment of the host San Francisco Giants.
The Los Angeles win, coupled with Colorado's 12-0 home triumph over the Washington Nationals, forces a meeting at Dodger Stadium on Monday afternoon between the Dodgers (91-71) and Rockies (91-71). The winner will go to the NL Division Series later this week, while the loser falls into the NL wild-card game on Tuesday.
The Chicago Cubs (95-67) and Milwaukee Brewers (95-67) will meet Monday in a tiebreaker for the NL Central title, with the loser playing host to Los Angeles or Colorado in the wild-card game.
Los Angeles bombed Giants starter Andrew Suarez (7-13) for two runs in the first inning, then added seven more in the third against Suarez and reliever Hunter Strickland, breaking open the regular-season finale early and sending the Dodgers toward a three-game sweep of their rival.
Justin Turner and David Freese drove in the Los Angeles runs in the first inning before Kemp had a two-run double and Brian Dozier a two-run homer in the third, during which the Dodgers went up 9-0. It was Dozer's fifth homer since joining the Dodgers at the trade deadline, and his 21st counting his time with the Minnesota Twins.
Suarez was pulled one out into the third, charged with six runs and six hits. He walked two and did not strikeout anyone.
Hill (11-5) took the early lead and coasted with it, allowing just two hits in his seven innings. He struck out seven and did not walk a batter.
JT Chargois and Julio Urias finished up with a hitless inning apiece, completing the Dodgers' 11th shutout of the season, their third against the Giants.
Enrique Hernandez also had three hits for the Dodgers, who finished the regular season with 13 wins in their last 17 games.
Turner, Freese, Hernandez, Chris Taylor and Manny Machado scored twice apiece, while Max Muncy connected on his 34th homer of the season and Austin Barnes hit his fourth for Los Angeles. The Dodgers used the sweep to win the season series from the Giants 10-9.
The Dodgers out-hit the Giants 16-2.
Joe Panik and Evan Longoria got the only hits, a pair of singles, for the Giants, who went 5-21 in September. They finished the season on a four-game losing streak.
The Giants were shut out for the ninth time this season, the fourth time at home.
--Field Level Media
LA Dodgers | San Francisco | |
Rich Hill | Player | Andrew Suarez |
Win | W/L | Loss |
7.0 | IP | 2.1 |
7 | Strikeouts | 0 |
2 | Hits | 6 |
0.00 | ERA | 23.14 |
LA Dodgers | San Francisco | |
Matt Kemp | Player | Evan Longoria |
3 | Hits | 1 |
3 | RBI | 0 |
0 | HR | 0 |
5 | TB | 1 |
1.000 | Avg | .333 |
Team | Hits | HR | TB | Avg | LOB | K | RBI | BB | SB | Errors |
LA Dodgers | 16 | 3 | 32 | .400 | 11 | 6 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
San Francisco | 2 | 0 | 2 | .069 | 4 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |