Miguel Rojas and James Outman homered, while J.D. Martinez had two key run-scoring singles on Friday as the Los Angeles Dodgers moved closer to the National League West title with a 6-3 victory over the Seattle Mariners.
When the post-season rolls around, the Dodgers know they will need more than just Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman carrying the load at the top of the lineup, which is why a night where the likes of Martinez and Rojas carry the offense is important this late in the season.
“You got the two horses up front with Freddie and [Mookie] and you got to be able to have your three, four or five hitters protect those guys,” Martinez said. “Tonight was one of those things where Freddie and Mookie didn’t have to carry the load for once and we were able to get the job done.”
Photo: AP
Los Angeles can wrap up the NL West for the 10th time in the past 11 seasons with a win over Seattle or help elsewhere in the games to be played this morning Taiwan time.
The San Francisco Giants are to play a doubleheader against the Colorado Rockies, while the Arizona Diamondbacks are to host the Chicago Cubs, with a number of scenarios meaning the Dodgers might be celebrating by the time the games are over.
On Friday, Rojas hit a two-run homer off Seattle starter George Kirby to give Los Angeles the lead in the fifth inning. Max Muncy added an RBI triple, and Martinez had RBI singles in the sixth and eighth innings.
Photo: Stephen Brashear-USA TODAY
Outman hit his 20th homer of the season in the ninth inning.
“It’s hard to simulate a playoff [game], but this environment tonight was pretty close,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
Seattle failed to gain ground on the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers in the American League West after both teams lost.
The Mariners remained 1.5 games behind the Astros and a game behind the Rangers.
Los Angeles starter Bobby Miller pitched 5-2/3 innings, allowing three runs and striking out seven on the day that Roberts said Miller (10-3) would likely be one of the Dodgers’ first two starting pitchers when the post-season begins.
This start had a playoff feel.
“I love that kind of energy out there. Got the blood flowing a little bit,” Miller said. “I’m all for that kind of stuff. I feel like I stayed really calm out there when it got super loud. I like those moments a lot.”
Miller allowed a solo home run to Eugenio Suarez and an RBI single to Teoscar Hernandez in the sixth inning when Seattle pulled to 4-3.
The Mariners stranded runners in scoring position in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings.
Elsewhere on Friday, it was:
‧ Angels 2, Tigers 11
‧ Athletics 3, Padres 8
‧ Cardinals 4, Phillies 5
‧ Blue Jays 3, Red Sox 0
‧ Brewers 5, Nationals 3
‧ Diamondbacks 6, Cubs 4
‧ Guardians 12, Rangers 3
‧ Marlins 9, Braves 6
‧ Orioles 1, Rays 7
‧ Pirates 5, Yankees 7
‧ Rockies 3, Giants 2
‧ Royals 4, Astros 2
‧ White Sox 2, Twins 10
Bologna on Thursday advanced past Empoli to reach their first Coppa Italia final in more than half a century. Thijs Dallinga’s 87th-minute header earned Bologna a 2-1 win and his side advanced 5-1 on aggregate. Giovanni Fabbian opened the scoring for Bologna with a header seven minutes in. Then Viktor Kovalenko equalized for Empoli in the 30th minute by turning in a rebound to finish off a counterattack. Bologna won the first leg 3-0. In the May 14 final in Rome, Bologna are to face AC Milan, who eliminated city rivals Inter 4-1 on aggregate following a 3-0 win on Wednesday. Bologna last reached the
If the Wild finally break through and win their first playoff series in a decade, Minnesota’s top line likely will be the reason. They were all over the Golden Knights through the first two games of their NHL Western Conference quarter-finals series, which was 1-1 going back to Minnesota for Game 3 today. The Wild tied the series with a 5-2 win on Tuesday. Matt Boldy had three goals and an assist in the first two games, while Kirill Kaprizov produced two goals and three assists. Joel Eriksson Ek, who centers the line, has yet to get on the scoresheet. “I think the biggest
From a commemorative jersey to a stadium in his name, Argentine soccer organizers are planning a slew of tributes to their late “Captain” Pope Francis, eulogized as the ultimate team player. Tributes to the Argentine pontiff, a lifelong lover of the game, who died on Monday at the age of 88, have been peppered with soccer metaphors in his homeland. “Francisco. What a player,” the Argentine Football Federation (AFA) said, describing the first pope from Latin America and the southern hemisphere as a generational talent who “never hogged the ball” and who showed the world “the importance of having an Argentine captain,
Noelvi Marte on Sunday had seven RBIs and hit his first career grand slam with a drive off infielder Jorge Mateo, while Austin Wynn had a career-high six RBIs as the Cincinnati Reds scored their most runs in 26 years in a 24-2 rout of the Baltimore Orioles. Marte finished with five hits, including his eighth-inning homer off Mateo. Wynn hit a three-run homer in the ninth off catcher Gary Sanchez. Cincinnati scored its most runs since a 24-12 win against the Colorado Rockies on May 19, 1999, and finished with 25 hits. Baltimore allowed its most runs since a 30-3 loss to
RSS