*Photo from the Orange County Register*
The Los Angeles Dodgers have guaranteed themselves another chance to win their first world series since 1988. AJ Pollock homered, Will Smith drove in 3 runs, and the Dodgers clinched a playoff spot with a 7-5 win over the San Diego Padres. MLB has banned large celebrations in clubhouses this year, so it just felt different for the Dodgers, like they didn't even clinch a playoff spot.
The Dodgers started the scoring in the second inning, when Pollock hit a solo homer to make it 1-0 Dodgers. The Padres quickly tied it up on a Jason Castro RBI double. In the 3rd, Max Muncy hit an RBI double, and Smith hit an RBI single to make it 3-1 Dodgers. In the 5th, Smith hit a two run double, and Cody Bellinger hit an RBI single to lengthen the Dodgers lead to 6-1. In the 6th inning, Chris Taylor hit a solo homer to make it 7-1 Dodgers. In the 7th, Jurickson Profar got the Padres back in the game with a two run homer, making it 7-3. In the 8th, Manny Machado hit a solo homer, and Profar hit an RBI single in the 9th to make it 7-5, but the Dodgers were able to hold on there.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, when asked about a lack of celebration, said after the game that ''I'm celebrating by saying I'm proud of our guys and it was a great series, I think it caught us all by surprise because we were so focused on trying to win this series. I think word will travel once we get on the plane.''
Dodgers pitcher Dustin May was asked if the Dodgers had even a little celebration, but he said "No. We're not allowed to." May talked about earning a playoff spot, saying that it ''is something you grind for for the whole season, this season is different but we had to grind in the quarantine zone, so you're still going to feel super excited.''
Adam Kolarek got the win for the Dodgers, getting two outs in the second inning in relief of opener Brusdar Graterol. Graterol threw 1 1/3 innings, allowing one run on one hit and one walk, striking out one hitter. May went the longest in this game for the Dodgers, throwing 5 1/3 innings. May allowed 3 runs on 3 hits and one walk, striking out 6 hitters. Pedro Baez got the save in the 9th for his second of the year. Victor Gonzalez also made a relief appearance for the Dodgers.
Padres manager Jayce Tingler lamented the loss, saying after the game that ''Today we just got beat in almost all areas, facets of the game, we didn't play as clean as we have been defensively. Their guys over there on the mound, they've done a good job pitching, especially the past two days. It was nice to scrap and crawl and fight back in it, but at the end of the day we got into too big a hole to overcome.''
The Dodgers travel to Colorado for a 4 game series against the Rockies, where Julio Urias will start the first game. The Padres play the Mariners on Friday after a day off, where Chris Paddack starts.
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