The Los Angeles Dodgers have won a whopping 10 district championships in the last 11 seasons. How does it feel to be in first place?
The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Seattle Mariners 6-2 in extra innings in the second game of a three-game series at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, Washington, on Sunday.
The Dodgers improved to 90 wins (57 losses) on the season and clinched the National League West title regardless of the outcome of their remaining 15 games. It’s their second straight division title after last year, and they’ve won the division 10 times in the last 11 years since 2013.
The road to the championship was not a smooth one. Against American League wild-card contender Seattle, they couldn’t get out of the first inning. The Dodgers got four scoreless innings from starter Clayton Kershaw before rookie Emmitt Sheehan threw a three-hit, five-strikeout complete game, while Seattle’s bullpen struggled after 5 1/3 scoreless innings from rookie Bryce Miller.
The Dodgers finally broke the scoreless tie in the top of the 10th inning of extra innings on an exquisite infield single by Chris Taylor with the bases loaded and a sacrifice fly to right field by pinch-hitter Colton Wong off the bat of James Outman. But in the bottom of the 10th, with two outs and two runners on, Mike Ford lined a single up the middle to tie the game again.
The Dodgers bats came alive again. In the top of the 11th, Freddie Freeman struck out with the bases loaded, but Will Smith drew an automatic walk and Max Muncy followed with an RBI single. An Ahmed Rosario walk loaded the bases, and Chris Taylor and Kike Hernandez followed with back-to-back RBI singles to put the game out of reach.
The Dodgers celebrated the district title in the clubhouse after the game. They donned their championship t-shirts, hugged each other, and popped champagne to celebrate their second straight title.
“It’s always special to win the division,” said manager Dave Roberts, who led the Dodgers to their seventh district title since taking over in 2016. And this year it’s even more special because we did it with a win ourselves. Tonight we deserve to celebrate with our fans and each other.”
“Every year is different, but winning a district is one of the most exciting moments of my coaching career. “Every year there are different circumstances, but winning a district title is the most exciting moment of my coaching career, and the players played a huge role in that.” “Watching them celebrate, pull for, and sacrifice for each other is what makes coaching so much fun,” he added.
The players also made the district title extra meaningful for the second straight year. Kershaw, rejuvenated with 12 wins this year, said, “We’ve got to embrace it and enjoy it. We say it every year, but it’s not something you can take for granted,” said Kershaw, while Freddie Freeman, who became a signature hitter two years after the trade, said, “The Dodgers are one of the most special teams I’ve ever been a part of. I’ve had a great time this year, and it’s been a fun experience,” he smiled.스포츠토토
After clinching the National League Division Series, the Dodgers will look to win their eighth World Series title in three years, the first since 2020. With 2020 being a shortened season due to COVID-19, it will be interesting to see if the team can once again be a dominant force in a full season.