Steve Webb
SEATTLE, WA — Well, it was the day after the Dodgers clinched the NL West, always known around here as “Freddie Freeman Load Management Day.” Freddie, Mookie and most of the other Dodger regulars took a well-deserved day off on Sunday, and gave the job of sweeping the Mariners to some of the lesser celebrated members of the team. And they did just fine. Led by three-hit days from Amed Rosario and Jason Heyward, the Dodgers got up early on the M’s and cruised to a 6-1 win.
It was a bullpen day for the Dodgers, and each of the three pitchers used in the contest did their job nearly perfectly. Shelby Miller opened with a scoreless frame. Ryan Yarbrough came through and pitched the next 4.2 innings, and then Gavin Stone pitched the final 3.1 innings. In all, they limited the Mariners to half a dozen singles and a double, surrendering a lone run in the bottom of the second. Otherwise, a solid outing all the way around and just what the Doc (Roberts) ordered.
Offensively, the Dodgers got things going quickly in the top of the first. Jason Heyward, taking over his buddy Freddie Freeman’s second spot in the batting order, drilled a solo home run to right to get the Dodgers on the board. Austin Barnes hit a two-run shot in the next inning, and Kolten Wong singled home a fourth run to give the Dodgers a 4-0 advantange going into the bottom of the second.
Heyward had three hits to follow up his Saturday game, in which he went 4-for-5 with three doubles. He now has 24 multi-hit games and 12 games with two or more RBIs this season.
“He’s had a tremendous season,” Roberts said. “He’s an even better teammate. What he’s done for our guys, veteran guys, young guys … he’s a good guy, and right now, he’s on a heater, man. He’s swinging the bat so well, he’s controlling the strike zone, and when they make a mistake, or even a 3-2 split down below, he’s hitting it hard. He’s playing Gold Glove defense. Offensively, he’s a threat, and he had a huge series.”
Ryan Yarbrough looked a little shaky in his first inning of work, but settled in very nicely after that, notching his 8th win of the season. Gavin Stone’s work on the back end picked up his first big-league save. It capped off a great weekend of pitching in which the Dodgers held Julio Rodriguez and the Mariners to just six runs over three games. Good stuff.
Beyond the Barnes and Heyward dingers, James Outman hit a solo shot late and Amed Rosario went 3-for-4 and fell just a homer short of the cycle. All this while Mookie, Freddie and the gang watched from the dugout.
“Like I’ve said before, you can’t simulate the postseason, but what you can do is put guys in some different spots, give them some opportunities to go out there and perform,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “And this environment right here is as good of a test for any young player or veteran player.”
The Dodgers head back to LA for the final home stand of the year, starting on Monday. It will be the Tigers for three, and then four games with the rival Giants before hitting the road to finish up against the Rockies and Giants. Lance Lynn tries to build on his solid start against the Padres on Monday when he faces off against the “almost Dodger” Eduardo Rodriguez (11-8, 3.32). Here we go!
My Dodgers are NL West champs!
