The Los Angeles Dodgers are National League West champions for the fourth consecutive season.
They clinched the division crown in dramatic fashion Sunday, as second baseman Charlie Culberson hit a walk-off home run in the 10th inning to send them to a 4-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies. The Dodgers reacted to the win and the National League West crown that came with it:
It will be a moment Culberson will likely remember for the rest of his life:
The team also shared the celebratory embraces and the after-victory party:
Sunday was the final home game of the season for Los Angeles, which means it was the last time legendary broadcaster Vin Scully called a game in Dodger Stadium. Scully will retire after the year, and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com thought it was the perfect ending:
Boston Celtics announcer Sean Grande underscored just how long Scully had been with the Dodgers:
Jesse Spector of Sporting News reacted to the walk-off:
Helping fuel the Dodgers’ playoff berth was a solid offense that ranked sixth in the National League in total runs heading into Sunday, per ESPN.com. Justin Turner and Yasmani Grandal each have 27 home runs, and rookie shortstop Corey Seager has provided a critical boost to L.A.’s offense, slashing .310/.370/.514 with 25 home runs and 70 RBI coming into Sunday’s game. Stephanie Apstein of Sports Illustrated believes he is a “lock for the National League Rookie of the Year.”
It isn’t just the offense that has spearheaded the Dodgers this season.
The starting pitching staff features six-time All-Star and three-time National League Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw. While he did miss significant time earlier in the season with a herniated disc, he is back and healthy with sparkling numbers. The southpaw has a 1.65 ERA, 0.71 WHIP and 168 strikeouts in 142 innings. Had he not missed so much time, he could be the clear-cut National League Cy Young front-runner.
Elsewhere, Kenta Maeda and Rich Hill provide some depth to the rotation. The Dodgers acquired Hill via trade from the Oakland Athletics this year, and he has a head-turning 1.53 ERA and 0.68 WHIP in five starts for his new team. Kershaw and Hill give Los Angeles a formidable duo that will make it a difficult out in any postseason series.
The Dodgers can also shorten playoff contests with closer Kenley Jansen and a bullpen that touts the best ERA in baseball, per ESPN.com.
While the focus will turn exclusively to the players in a few weeks’ time, Scully is perhaps the marquee figure associated with the organization until the end of the regular season. He announced he won’t call playoff games in his final season, per Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times, means his career will end on Oct. 2 when the Dodgers visit the San Francisco Giants.
At least he will be calling games for a postseason team after the Dodgers clinched the division crown Sunday.
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