The Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers were in a race of sorts Friday night, not for the National League West title, but to see whose game would conclude first. A Dodgers win or Diamondbacks loss meant the NL West would be wrapped up.
For all that’s gone wrong the past four weeks, being crowned division champions on their own accord was the preferred route. Also, it was Tommy Lasorda’s 90th birthday. But the Diamondbacks had the edge in start time.
Their game at Chase Field with the Miami Marlins began at 6:40 p.m. PT, compared to the 7:10 p.m. PT start at Dodger Stadium. An explosion of offense from both teams saw the Diamondbacks-Marlins game drag behind.
At the time Dodgers defeated the San Francisco Giants, the Diamondbacks and Marlins were in the bottom of the eighth inning.
In relaying news of the Dodgers clinching a fifth consecutive NL West title, the Diamondbacks broadcasters include snide remarks. In jest, they accused Los Angeles of believing they’d won the division in July, and boldly predicted a matchup in the NL Division Series, via Chad Moriyama:
As it stands, the Dodgers, with the best record in the NL, would face the winner of the Wild Card Game. With a walk-off win Sunday afternoon, Arizona clinched the home-field advantage in the Wild Card Game.
They’re likely to face the Colorado Rockies, who lead the St. Louis Cardinals by 1.5 games and Milwaukee Brewers by two games.
