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 Matt Kemp, Adrian Gonzalez and Roger Bernadina homered, leading
the playoff-bound Dodgers to a 10-5 win over the Colorado Rockies at
Dodger Stadium.
Kemp, the starting right fielder, hit a two-run shot. Bernadina, who
replaced Kemp in right field, contributed a career-high four RBIs
with a three-run homer and a run-scoring single. Gonzalez, the
Dodgers' first baseman, added a three-run blast, one of the team's
16 hits.
The Dodgers (94-68) will take a five-game winning streak into Friday
night's opener of the National League Division Series against the
visiting St. Louis Cardinals (90-72).
"Everybody knows we're a team that's put together to go farther than
that," said Gonzalez, who expressed optimism about the Dodgers'
chances, given that Kemp missed last year's playoffs because of a
sprained left ankle and that left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu felt no
discomfort in his left shoulder after throwing a 40-pitch bullpen
session before Sunday's game.
"Kemp is in the lineup and it looks like Ryu will be able to pitch,"
Gonzalez said. "We've got our whole team healthy, and going into it
healthy is a big thing."
Securing the National League West championship Wednesday night
enabled Dodgers manager Don Mattingly to give his regulars some rest
and use his reserves without facing pressure.
"It's good to have a few days like this," Mattingly said. "We were
able to keep guys playing. You could see by the streak that guys
kept playing, guys kept working."
Right-hander Zack Greinke (17-8) established a personal
single-season high in wins. In five innings, Greinke induced seven
groundouts and amassed six strikeouts while conceding just one run,
one walk and four hits.
The Rockies' Justin Morneau won the National League's batting
championship with a .319 average. Morneau grounded out as a
pinch-hitter in the top of the eighth inning.
"When I look back on it, the thing I'll be most proud of is the
consistency," Morneau said. "There are times when you get hot and
hit .450 for a couple of weeks, then you go 0-for-30. It doesn't
have to be that way."
Colorado catcher Wilin Rosario hit his 13th home run of the season.
Shortstop Josh Rutledge went 3-for-4, scored a run and drove in
another, but the Rockies (66-96) committed three errors and ended
the season with a four-game losing streak.
"We've got a lot of work to do," said Rockies manager Walt Weiss. "I
told the players to get their minds right during the offseason and
take a break, then get back to work and be ready to turn this thing
around next year."
Los Angeles took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. After
Gonzalez doubled with two out, Kemp propelled an 81 mph pitch from
right-hander Christian Bergman into the left field stands.
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Kemp's homer was his 25th of the season and his ninth in the past 24
games.
The Rockies narrowed their deficit to 2-1 in the top of the second.
Center fielder Drew Stubbs dinked a single to left field, moved to
second base on left fielder Brandon Barnes' sacrifice, stole third
base and came home on Rutledge's bloop single.
The Dodgers used Gonzalez's home run to expand their lead to 5-1 in
the bottom of the third. Second baseman Darwin Barney began the
inning with a single, then center fielder Yasiel Puig reached base
when Rutledge dropped his soft line drive for an error.
Gonzalez followed with his 27th homer of the year, a three-run drive
into the right field stands. That blast made Gonzalez the major
league leader with 116 RBIs.
In the sixth, Bernadina's three-run blast led a four-run outburst.
Bernadina hit the first pitch from right-handed reliever Rob
Scahill. Barney added a run-scoring single in that inning, and Los
Angeles sent nine batters to the plate.
Rockies third baseman Rafael Ynoa hit a three-run double in the top
of the seventh. Bernadina hit his RBI single in the bottom of the
seventh. Rosario's solo homer came in the eighth.
Bergman (3-5) allowed eight runs (seven earned) and 11 hits,
including two home runs, in 5 1/3 innings. The right-hander did not
walk a batter, and he struck out four.
"The kid battles," Weiss said. "He's got a good feel for pitching.
Like all of us, he needs to tighten up a little bit and take that
next step."
NOTES: INF Juan Uribe served as the Dodgers' manager. Uribe wore
Hall of Famer Tom Lasorda's uniform number, 2, and came out to make
a pitching change in the seventh inning. On his way back to the
dugout, Uribe received a loud ovation and took off his cap in
appreciation. ... Sunday was the 26th anniversary of the Dodgers'
Orel Hershiser breaking Don Drysdale's major league record for
consecutive scoreless innings. Hershiser threw 10 scoreless innings
against the San Diego Padres to set the record at 59. ... Despite
their record, the Rockies led the majors with a .445 slugging
percentage and a .773 on-base-plus-slugging percentage entering
Sunday's action. ... Dodgers 2B Dee Gordon and SS Hanley Ramirez
were not in the starting lineup after leaving Saturday night's game
early. Gordon irritated his hip in the first inning, and Ramirez
fouled a ball off his left foot in the fourth.
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