Dodgers 1st team to clinch playoff spot, beat Padres 7-5

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers became the first team to clinch a playoff spot in the pandemic-shortened season, beating the San Diego Padres 7-5 Wednesday behind Dustin May's gutty effort out of the bullpen and home runs from AJ Pollock and Chris Taylor.

Will Smith drove in three runs for the seven-time defending NL West champion Dodgers, who opened a 3 1/2-game lead in the division by winning two of three in the matchup of the NL's two best teams.

Mookie Betts tied his career high with three stolen bases, had two hits and scored a run.

At 35-15, the Dodgers breezed into the expanded 16-team postseason field. Los Angeles is seeking its first World Series title since 1988.

San Diego, quieted by Dodgers pitching a second straight game even as it heads for its first playoff berth since winning the division in 2006, has lost two straight for the first time since mid-August.

San Diego’s Fernando Tatis Jr., who had been considered the NL MVP front-runner recently, went 0 for 4 to extend his slump to 2 for 27 over eight games. His average has dropped from .314 to .281.

May, who had been scheduled to start before manager Dave Roberts decided to go with a bullpen day, was the Dodgers' third pitcher of the game. He went 5 1/3 innings and was in control until Jurickson Profar homered to right field with two outs in the seventh to pull the Dodgers to 7-3. Mitch Moreland reached on an error by second baseman Gavin Lux opening the inning.

After Profar’s homer, May struck out Trent Grisham and blew off some steam by yelling a few profanities that could be heard around empty Petcom Park. Grisham angered the Dodgers by briefly posing at the plate after homering off Clayton Kershaw in the Padres' 7-2 win Monday night.

May allowed Manny Machado’s solo homer with one...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Dodgers-1st-team-to-clinch-playoff-spot-beat-15573331.php