Less than a year removed from Guggenheim Baseball Management purchasing the franchise, the Los Angeles Dodgers entered the 2013 season with plenty of new faces on the roster.
In August 2012, the club swung one of the biggest trades in MLB history by acquiring Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Josh Beckett and Nick Punto from the Boston Red Sox.
Each of those players were pivotal in the 2013 Dodgers winning 92 games and their first National League West title since 2009. Other newcomers made their presence felt as well, including Yasiel Puig, who made his MLB debut and took the league by storm in his rookie season.
The Dodgers defeated the Atlanta Braves in four games in the NL Division Series. That put them into the NL Championship Series for a matchup against the St. Louis Cardinals, but which L.A. lost in six games — ending what was otherwise a successful year.
Regular season
The Dodgers began the 2013 season with a memorable Opening Day victory against the San Francisco Giants. Clayton Kershaw contributed on the mound and at the plate, tossing a four-hit shutout while also breaking a scoreless tie in the eighth with a solo home run.
The Dodgers dropped the next two games against the Giants before rebounding with a three-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates. They finished the month of April with a 13-13 record — good for only fourth place in the NL West.
The Dodgers’ struggles continued into May, as they won just 10 of their 27 games during the month. By the start of June, the club found themselves in the NL West cellar, trailing the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks by 6.5 games.
At the turn of the month, the Dodgers received some much needed reinforcements in the form of Puig. He turned heads during his debut on June 3, going 2-for-2 at the plate and throwing out Chris Denorfia at first base for a double play to end the game.
The Dodgers concluded the first half of play with a 47-47 record. While that represents a .500 pace, the club turned it up a notch in late June, going 17-5 over there last 22 games leading into the All-Star Game.
From June 22 through Aug. 17, the Dodgers went on a remarkable run, going 42-8 — which at the time was the most successful 50-game stretch in franchise history.
On Sept. 19, 2013, the Dodgers clinched their first NL West title in four years with a comeback 7-6 victory over the Diamondbacks. The celebration on the field most famously carried over into the Chase Field pool.
Postseason
The Dodgers began their postseason run against the Braves in the NLDS. The two teams split a game apiece at Turner Field before the series shifted to Dodger Stadium for Games 3 and 4.
The Dodgers took a 2-1 lead in the series following a commanding 13-6 Game 3 victory. Looking to close out the series at home, L.A. faced a 3-2 deficit in the eighth inning.
With Braves closer Craig Kimbrel warming up in the bullpen, Juan Uribe’s two-run shot off David Carpenter gave the Dodgers a 4-3 lead. Kenley Jansen sealed the deal by striking out the side in the ninth, sending L.A. to the NLCS for a matchup against the Cardinals.
A pivotal moment in the series took place in the first inning of Game 1 when Joe Kelly drilled Hanley Ramirez in the ribs — effectively limiting him the rest of the way.
The Cardinals won both Games 1 and 2 games at Busch Stadium before the series moved to Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers answered back with a win in Game 3, but fell into a 3-1 deficit after a loss in Game 4.
L.A. ensured the series would head back to Busch Stadium with a victory in Game 5, but St. Louis finished the job in front of their home fans with a 9-0 win in Game 6.
The Cardinals advanced to the World Series for a showdown with the Boston Red Sox, but were ultimately defeated in six games.
