The defending NL champions locked up their sixth straight trip to the postseason, assuring at least a spot in the wild-card game. The Dodgers joined Colorado, Atlanta, the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee in the NL playoff field.
Machado, the star infielder acquired from Baltimore during the All-Star break, hit a two-out triple off Mark Melancon (1-4) for a 6-5 lead. Max Muncy added a two-run double during a four-run ninth.
Alex Wood (9-7) pitched the seventh for the win and Kenley Jansen closed it out.
Machado hits go-ahead RBI triple in eighth for signature LA moment
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If the teams finished tied, the Dodgers and Rockies will play a tiebreaker in Los Angeles on Monday to determine the division champion, with the loser going to the Wild Card Game.
If the Dodgers finish second to the Rockies, Saturday’s win clinched the second Wild Card spot, meaning they would play either the Cubs or Brewers, whichever club finishes second in the NL Central, on the road at 5 p.m. PT on Tuesday.
After what manager Dave Roberts called an “awkward” moment on the field after Sunday’s last out, with a traditional line of handshakes as if it was a mid-May game, the Dodgers let loose in the clubhouse with a more traditional celebration, spraying champagne and beer — not the least bit embarrassed about how they’ve reached the postseason.
The Dodgers won this game despite ace Clayton Kershaw letting two leads get away and lasting only five innings. Until Machado’s triple off the right-field wall scored Chris Taylor, the Dodgers were 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position, having stranded five runners over the sixth and seventh innings. Roberts even had to use Kenley Jansen despite a five-run lead after Zac Rosscup walked the leadoff batter and recorded an out in the ninth.
Machado, acquired in a 5-for-1 deal with the Orioles, has hit .269 with an .824 OPS since arriving. But as the marquee name dealt before the non-waiver Trade Deadline, he has been under the microscope, drawing as much needling for not hustling as praise for his dazzling defense and the intangible benefit of having a feared bat behind Justin Turner.
“We said it in the beginning, no one person has the ability to carry a team, in my opinion,” Roberts said. “I still think the production he’s had, the shortstop play, he’s been everything we wanted. And there’s still a lot of baseball left. His presence to be out there every single day has a lot of value. The raw numbers, average or whatever people look at, there’s been big hits and consistent defense to help our pitching staff. I hope that doesn’t go unnoticed.”
Machado was enjoying the postgame chaos as much as any Dodger.
“I try to do everything possible,” Machado said of living up to expectations. “I try to help everyone, help the young kids, help the ballclub in whatever way I can, bring my knowledge to the table. Like I said before, this ain’t over. This is just a little tease.”
It was an uncharacteristic struggle against the Giants for Kershaw, who conceivably was pitching in his last game as a Dodger with an opt-out for free agency this offseason. He was unable to protect leads of 2-0 and 5-3 (provided by his two-run single) in a no-decision, allowed five runs (his most ever to the Giants) in five innings and finished the regular season 9-5, his fewest wins since going 8-8 in 2009.
Kershaw said he didn’t know what the future would hold for him as a Dodger, other than hoping for another start.
“There’s obviously just so much at stake, and really this whole month, there’s been so much at stake that I’ve been preoccupied,” Kershaw said. “I haven’t really thought about it. I think I have a good chance to get another start here real soon. That’s really all I can think about right now. If we weren’t making the playoffs, I probably would have put a lot more thought into where we’re going and what I’m doing personally. But right now, I can’t do it. There’s not enough room up there [in my head] for both.”
Roberts said he thought briefly about the possibility Kershaw might no longer be a Dodger, but “eliminated that thought quickly.” Instead, Roberts focused on the team achievement.
“You see our guys where everyone’s got their footprint on this season, moreso than any season I’ve been part of,” Roberts said, in a reference to the platooning that management pivoted to after accumulating excess talent. “Look at how guys have come together, stayed together through tough times and come out on the other side. I think there’s power to that. They’re all special, but this is certainly a different way than I’ve become accustomed to, but still as sweet.
“The thing most gratifying for me … you can talk about every guy we’ve sold to sacrifice to win a championship. When we can see it through and get to the postseason, there’s some satisfaction in that.”
SOUND SMART
Home runs by Joc Pederson (25th) and Yasiel Puig (23rd) extended the Dodgers’ NL-leading and franchise-best total to 230. LA is eighth on the NL all-time list for most home runs for a single season, one behind the 231 homers by the 2007 Brewers. More >
HE SAID IT
“This is just the beginning of it. I think everyone is just getting accustomed to it, getting used to each other. Whenever you can do that, the sky’s the limit, I always say. Everybody has a role to do. When we do that, we’re the best ballclub out there.” — Machado
UP NEXT
The Dodgers announced late Saturday night that Rich Hill would start on Sunday’s regular-season finale. Walker Buehler was scheduled to start the game against the Giants and Andrew Suarez, but that could change if the Dodgers face a play-in game on Monday. Buehler, who has the lowest WHIP for a rookie with at least 20 starts since 1913, is coming off a no-decision in Arizona. First pitch is scheduled for 12:05 p.m. PT.
Ken Gurnick has covered the Dodgers for MLB.com since 2001.
Two titles on line today: NL Central, NL West
It’s been a wild ride and it’ll be a wild end to the 2018 regular season, with two division titles up for grabs on Sunday.
The Brewers, behind the heroics of National League Most Valuable Player candidate and Triple Crown contender Christian Yelich, hung on to beat the Tigers, 6-5, on Saturday at Miller Park. Coupled with the Cubs’ 2-1 loss to the Cardinals earlier in the day, the NL Central is tied heading into the final day of the regular season. Meanwhile, the NL West is also tied with one game to play, as the Dodgers beat the Giants, 10-6, in San Francisco, while the Rockies lost to the Nationals,12-2, at Coors Field.
Crew tied for 1st; Yelich pushing for Triple Crown
