Dodgers Clinch NL West Title With Victory Against Giants
SAN FRANCISCO (CBSLA.com/AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers clinched a third straight National League West title Tuesday with a decisive 8-0 victory against the defending World Series champion San Francisco Giants.
Ace Clayton Kershaw allowed just a third-inning single and struck out 13, and the Dodgers (88-69) advance to face the NL East champion New York Mets in the best-of-five NL Division Series.
Kershaw (16-7) finally got the best of his 2015 nemesis in their fourth matchup of the year, striking out the side in order three times and retiring the final 19 batters as the Dodgers snapped a four-game losing streak.
Don Mattingly's Dodgers earned a third straight playoff berth for the first time in franchise history, and did so by snapping a seven-game losing streak at AT&T Park this year. It's also their sixth postseason berth in 10 years.
Justin Ruggiano and A.J. Ellis hit back-to-back home runs in the sixth to chase World Series MVP Madison Bumgarner (18-9), denying the Giants their first 19-game winner in 18 years.
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