Pollock hits 2 HRs, playoff-bound Dodgers blank Angels 5-0

LOS ANGELES (AP) — AJ Pollock homered twice and the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers completed a three-game sweep of the Angels with a 5-0 victory on Sunday to end the pandemic-shortened regular season.

Pollock’s drive gave the Dodgers a major league-leading 118 homers. It was their fifth shutout victory; they went 15-1-4 in series this season.

The Dodgers won their eighth consecutive division title and finished 43-17 for the best record in the majors over the 60-game schedule. They were 106-56 last year playing a full 162 games. They’ll open the postseason on Wednesday against the NL’s No. 8 seed.

The Angels stumbled to a 26-34 mark in Joe Maddon’s first season in Anaheim as manager. They were 72-90 last year, finishing fourth in the AL West, the same result as this season. They were 0-6 against the Dodgers, losing every game for the first time since 1997.

Pollock started at leadoff in place of Mookie Betts, who is nursing a sore hip after getting plunked on Saturday.

Joc Pederson singled leading off the seventh and Pollock followed with a two-run shot over the wall in center.

The Dodgers added two more runs in the third to make it 3-0. Austin Barnes walked and scored on Corey Seager's RBI groundout to second as part of a double play. Justin Turner popped up to right fielder Jared Walsh, who lost the ball in the sun for an error, scoring Pederson, who walked. Turner was safe at first.

The Angels were limited to three hits without slugger Mike Trout in the lineup. He took the last two days off.

Victor González started for the Dodgers, tossing a scoreless inning with one strikeout before turning the ball over to Dustin May (3-1). The red-headed right-hander allowed two hits in four innings, struck out five and walked two.

Angels starter Patrick Sandoval...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Pollock-hits-2-HRs-playoff-bound-Dodgers-blank-15601525.php