The Los Angeles Dodgers received key contributions from Julio Urías, Yency Almonte, Freddie Freeman and Tommy Kahnle, among others to come away with a 1-0 win against the San Diego Padres in 10 innings.
That prevented the Padres from winning their first series against the Dodgers this season and set the stage for a rubber match at Petco Park. The Dodgers additionally broke a franchise record with their 107th win.
Urías turned in six scoreless innings and lowered his National League-best ERA to 2.17 on the season. Almonte retired the top of the Padres lineup in order in his first game off the 15-day injured list, complete with a strikeout in the seventh inning.
The game remained scoreless into extra innings until Freeman floated a game-winning RBI single into center field. Mookie Betts easily jogged home from third base after advancing on a passed ball.
Welcome back, @showtimealmonte! pic.twitter.com/eFikeBhJDR
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 29, 2022
Freddie! pic.twitter.com/3uhwO3JBA6
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 29, 2022
Shut it down, Tommy. pic.twitter.com/ATlfEBejfz
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 29, 2022
“I was going for a hit when Mookie was on second,” Freeman said of his initial approach in the at-bat.
“Trying to get the slider up and kind of shoot it — usually I go to left field — but with the slider coming in, I was trying to hit it right at second base. That was my plan, but I didn’t know if it was going to work.
“Then once the ball got away and he got to third, all I was trying to do was hit a fly ball to center field. Usually it’s left-center approach for me, but in that situation I go to center field just so I’m still on the heater and don’t roll over the offspeed pitch. I was able to get a slider up and dink one in.”
Kahnle then entered in the bottom of the 10th and stranded the tying run at third base to convert his first save since undergoing Tommy John surgery. Kahnle’s appearance was his first back-to-back with the Dodgers this season, though he twice did so while on rehab assignment.
Dodgers magic number for World Series
The Dodgers’ magic number for home-field advantage through the World Series is down to two. Because they didn’t play the Houston Astros during the 2022 season, intradivision records serve as a tiebreaker.
The Astros finished 51-25 against the American League West, and the Dodgers are currently 50-19 in the NL West but still have seven divisional games remaining.
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