Kiké Hernández hit a two-run home run, Dalton Rushing delivered two hits, including a key run-scoring single, and the Los Angeles Dodgers edged the Seattle Mariners 3-2 on Friday night at T-Mobile Park.
The Dodgers entered the game as slight -115 moneyline favorites, with the Mariners listed at -105. The over/under was set at 8 runs, and the clubs combined for five, finishing well under the total.
After clinching the National League West title a night earlier, Los Angeles used a bullpen game. Emmet Sheehan started and allowed one run in the opening frame, with that run scoring when Michael Conforto misplayed a ball in left field. Sheehan worked a single inning before giving way to Justin Wrobleski, who became the winning pitcher after holding Seattle scoreless for two innings with three strikeouts. He improved to 5-5 on the year.
The Dodgers quickly erased their early deficit in the third. Rushing opened the inning with a single, and Hernández followed by driving a 3-1 pitch from Seattle starter George Kirby into the left-field seats. The two-run homer, Hernández’s 10th of the season, gave Los Angeles a 2-1 lead. Kirby recovered to strike out 10 across five innings but took the loss, dropping to 10-8.
Los Angeles extended its advantage in the sixth when Conforto walked, moved to second on a single by Teoscar Hernández, and scored on Rushing’s second hit of the game, a line drive to center. That run proved critical as Seattle mounted a late push.
The Mariners cut the deficit to one in the eighth when Dominic Canzone drove in a run with a single. In the ninth, the Dodgers turned to closer Tanner Scott, who faced a tense situation. After two quick outs, Cal Raleigh doubled to put the tying run in scoring position. Scott then intentionally walked Julio Rodríguez and hit Mitch Garver to load the bases, bringing Eugenio Suárez to the plate. Scott struck out Suárez on a high fastball to secure his 23rd save of the season.
The Dodgers’ pitching staff combined for 14 strikeouts, holding down a Mariners team that had won seven straight entering the contest and had also put together an 11-game home winning streak. The victory gave Los Angeles its third consecutive win following the division-clinching game.
Seattle’s loss did little to dampen its recent success, as the American League West champions had won 17 of 18 games before Friday. Raleigh, an AL MVP candidate, collected two hits but struck out three times, while NL MVP frontrunner Shohei Ohtani went 0 for 3 with a walk.
The Dodgers also saw Josh Naylor make history by stealing his 30th base of the year in the third inning. He became just the third first baseman in MLB history with at least 20 home runs and 30 stolen bases in a season, joining Jeff Bagwell and Paul Goldschmidt.
The series continues Saturday night, with Los Angeles sending right-hander Tyler Glasnow (4-3, 3.30 ERA) to the mound against Seattle right-hander Logan Gilbert (6-6, 3.43 ERA).
