DOGENVILLE, N.Y.: Cody Bellinger homered, a two-run single by pinch-hitter Yu Darvish and the first base runner of the game for San Francisco’s bullpen, as the Giants defeated Los Angeles 11-5 in Game 5 to win their NL West division title Wednesday night.
San Francisco starter Walker Buehler took one out of the mound before being replaced by Mike Yastrzemski, who struck out the side in left for his 16th save in 37 appearances. It marked just the second straight victory for the defending World Series champion Dodgers.
The Dodgers were hoping to extend their record of 64 consecutive winning seasons but were thwarted when they couldn’t get runners on third or fourth against their ace pitcher Walker Buehler. The Giants scored three runs on four hits with a pair of homers from Justin Upton, who hit a 6-meter shot off reliever Craig Kimbrel before adding a solo homer on his 18th birthday.
The teams meet again next week in San Francisco.
I thought we could be more consistent, Yadier said. “I think it came down to us working together on at-bat things. On the final day of the year is one of those type of games, you kind of turn around and say, I’m going to go out there and try. That’s how it happened this time. We had some good energy there on the way. Unfortunately we didn’t get what we wanted out of the inning, but at least we got our season over the line.
Los Angeles had to score six runs during one of its worst stretches this season, coming to 4 1/2 games without scoring after hitting three times in five days starting Thursday night with a 3-2 loss to St. Louis.
The Dodgers struck early in the sixth and loaded up on an eighth-inning lead when Buehler (6-9) retired Adam Engel, who was called for walked.
I think we can play well enough to get that far this year, manager Dave Roberts said. We need to bring ourselves to the end zone again tonight.
Drew Eubanks doubled, Joey Gallo tied and Austin Barnes came close for the Giants, who won their second home opener of the season for first overall since 2007. Jose Lindor’s RBI singles in Game 2 became his 500th career. Paul Goldschmidt followed with another double, helping offset Aaron Judge’s walk leading into the seventh.
Judge added three hits in a seven-hit performance for the Dodgers. He connected with Andrew Taggart to extend the Dodgers’ best home run drought to a league-leading 14, the longest in franchise history. DeMarmonious 40 came off the mound before Buehler gave up a leadoff to Chris Taylor on the bottom of the fifth.
The Giants have been perfect so far in 2021, allowing one run after being held scoreless in nine of 12 games through mid-September. They are only 7-1 for the last 14, but are trying to snap a streak to their first losing season for 19 years on Sept. 23, their last game against the Dodgers in 1982.
The Dodgers began the third-inning stretch with a 1-0 lead when Marcell Ozuna blasted Goldschmidt to center field with one out. But they fell behind after Buehler struck out swinging in the sixth.
The break was short-lived. Galton hit a two-run infield single in the top of the sixth, then singled twice on the way to a two-run second-inning lead. But the Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez hit home two batters with another hit.
The Dodgers took the lead with two strikes in the sixth. Mark Triggs threw a slider to Goldschmidt. Albert Pujols hit a foul ball to the outfield wall to force manager Dave Roberts to call on the bullpen to pitch a man in. After pitching a day off the bench, he turned it over in the ninth.
UP NEXT
Giants: RHP Julio UrÃas (13-10, 5.10 ERA), who has given up only 15 runs this season, gets his next start for Sacramento at Atlanta on Sunday night.
Dodgers: RHP Kenley Jansen (11-5, 1.35), making his regular debut against Toronto on Saturday night, starts his first game against Dodgers on Sunday night.
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