With the Los Angeles Dodgers defeating the San Francisco Giants 8-0 on Tuesday night, they have clinched the NL West division for the third straight season.
Coupled with the Mets’ loss against the Philadelphia Phillies last night, the Amazins saw their lead for home-field advantage shrink to one game over the Dodgers. The Mets do hold the tie-breaker so essentially it’s a two game cushion.
The NLDS begins a week from Friday on October 9, setting up a rematch of the 2006 NLDS when the Mets swept the Dodgers in three games.
“We’ve still got something to play for,” said Clayton Kershaw, who tossed a one-hit shutout and struck out 13 for his team to clinch.
With both teams vowing to fight for home-field, it should make for some seriously compelling baseball that will go down to the wire.
September 29
Despite their co-ace Zack Greinke on the mound to start the game, the Los Angeles Dodgers fell to the San Francisco Giants by a score of 3-2 in a 12-inning thriller on Monday night.
The Dodgers initially tied the score in the top of the ninth inning after Andre Ethier drove home a run on a ground-out to send the game into extras.
But the Giants snapped the deadlock when pinch-hitter Alejandro De Aza drove in Marlon Byrd with a sacrifice fly off Adam Liberatore in the 12th.
The Dodgers now trail the New York Mets by two games for home-field advantage in the NLDS, which is effectively three games, because the Mets own the tiebreaker after taking the season series four games to three.
With only six games left to play for both teams, the Mets’ magic number to clinch home field is down to four.
The Mets open a three-game series tonight against the Philadelphia Phillies whom they are 14-2 against this season. Bartolo Colon will get the start for the Mets and he will oppose David Buchanan for the Phils.
“We are going to play to win as many games as we can, to try to get home-field advantage in the first round,” Terry Collins told reporters on Sunday.
“I think it’s very, very important to have that. It’s something we should shoot for. And I think when you’re still playing for something, it prepares you better.”
Meanwhile, Clayton Kershaw will get an opportunity to clinch the division title for the Dodgers on Tuesday night.
However he’ll be opposed by reigning World Series MVP Madison Bumgarner for the Giants, and the Dodgers are 0-7 at AT&T Park this season.
Or in other words, Mets Baby!!!
