Walker Buehler pitched 6 2/3 innings of one-hit ball, Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy each hit two-run homers and Kenley Jansen survived a shaky ninth inning as the Dodgers defeated the Rockies to claim their sixth consecutive division title and advance to the best-of-five NL Division Series against the Atlanta Braves. Game 1 of that series will be Thursday at Dodger Stadium. Buehler was the start of the game, also getting an RBI single to account for the Dodgers’ fifth run of the game.
TOP OF NINTH: Kenley Jansen in to pitch. Arenado homered to deep left. Story homered to right. This is not good. Gonzalez grounded to first. Desmond struck out swinging. Pinch-hitter Gerardo Parra struck out swinging. Dodgers defeat the Rockies, 5-2, and will play Atlanta at Dodger Stadium on Thursday in Game 1 of the best-of-five NLDS.
BOTTOM OF EIGHTH: Bellinger grounded to first. Puig bounced to third. That’s it for Jake McGee. Rockies are bringing in DJ Johnson. Hernandez grounded to third. DODGERS 5, ROCKIES 0.
TOP OF EIGHTH: Scott Alexander now pitching. Iannetta lined to third. Blackmon singled to left. And that’s it for Alexander. Kenta Maeda is coming in to pitch. LeMahieu hit a high bouncer to third and Turner threw him out on a bang-bang play. They are reviewing the call, and he is indeed out. Blackmon on second, two out. Dahl struck out swinging.
BOTTOM OF SEVENTH: Right-hander Scott Oberg now pitching for the Rockies. Turner singled to right. Muncy singled to right, Turner to third. Machado grounded to the pitcher for a double play, with Turner holding at third. Left-hander Jake McGee in to pitch for the Rockies. Grandal struck out swinging.
TOP OF SEVENTH: Arenado flied to deep right-center. Story flied to right. Gonzalez walked. And that’s it for Buehler. He walks off the mound to a standing ovation. Pedro Baez now pitching. The fans cheered for Pedro Baez! Desmond walked. Matt Holliday, batting for the pitcher, popped to short. DODGERS 5, ROCKIES 0
BOTTOM OF SIXTH: Bellinger popped to third. Puig flied to right. Hernandez doubled to right. Dave Roberts lets Buehler hit and he singles to center, giving the Dodgers a 5-0 lead. Pederson flied to center. DODGERS 5, ROCKIES 0
TOP OF SIXTH: Iannetta struck out swinging. Blackmon singled to right-center. There goes the no-hitter. LeMahieu hit a bouncer up the middle, Hernandez made a nice diving stop and threw LeMahieu out at first. Blackmon advanced to second. Dahl grounded to first. DODGERS 4, ROCKIES 0.
BOTTOM OF FIFTH: Pederson doubled to center. Turner struck out swinging. There is activity in the Colorado bullpen. Muncy homered to left-center. 4-0 Dodgers. Machado flied to center. Rockies make a double switch, bringing Chris Iannetta in to catch and left-hander Harrison Musgrave in to pitch. Grandal grounded to short. DODGERS 4, ROCKIES 0