The Los Angeles Dodgers are returning to the postseason for a franchise-record sixth straight year, as they defeated the San Francisco Giants, 10-6, on Saturday to clinch the second National League Wild Card spot.
Depending on how Sunday plays out, the Dodgers are also still in position to win the NL West. In what was essentially a must-win game, Joc Pederson got his team on the scoreboard early with a home run to lead off the game.
The leadoff homer was Pederson’s eighth of the season, which is a franchise record. The Dodgers then added to their lead in the second when Yasiel Puig led off that inning with a home run of his own. The long ball was Puig’s 23rd of the season.
Clayton Kershaw didn’t have his best start on the mound, allowing five runs in five innings, but he did get it done at the plate as he drove in two runs with a single in the top of the fourth inning.
The big hit of the day came in the top of the eighth though when the game was tied at five. Down in the count, 1-2, Manny Machado went with an outside fastball and hit it off the right-field wall for a triple to drive in Chris Taylor and give the Dodgers a 6-5 lead.
The hit was perhaps the biggest in Machado’s short tenure with the Dodgers. They then added some much-needed insurances runs in the top of the ninth, scoring four runs all with two outs.
Taylor and Cody Bellinger each drove in a run with singles, and Max Muncy blooped in a double to left to score two more.
