Editorials

Recap: Kershaw Reaches 300 Strikeouts, Heisey’s Home Run Proves The Difference

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

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Kershaw collected another strikeout in the fourth, but allowed a two-out single to Jedd Gyorko on his 60th pitch of the game, and was removed by acting manager Jimmy Rollins. Joel Peralta needed just two pitches to get the Dodgers out of the inning with their 2-0 lead still intact.



Seager drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the fourth and advanced to second base on Bud Norris’ wild pitch. Ellis also walked, again giving the Dodgers two on with no outs. However, they were unable to capitalize as the next three batters were retired, including Peralta, who struck out on consecutive failed bunt-single attempts.

Peralta retired the two batters faced in the fifth, then handed the ball over to J.P. Howell. The Dodgers’ left-handed reliever needed all of two pitches to record the third out. Norris walked Grandal with two outs in the bottom of the fifth, then got Yasiel Puig to foul out on the first pitch.

The Padres managed an Upton Jr., base hit and stolen base, but nothing else as Yimi Garcia recorded two strikeouts in a scoreless sixth inning. Seager added to the Dodgers’ lead by hitting a solo home run to right-center field off Jon Edwards.

Then with two outs and Austin Barnes on first base, Edwards gave up a two-run homer to pinch-hitter Chris Heisey. With the Dodgers leading 5-0, Hedges and Alexi Amarista hit back-to-back one-out singles in the seventh. Juan Nicasio was then replaced by Luis Avilan.

The pitching change didn’t slow some of the Padres’ momentum as Travis Jankowski pulled a three-run home run off the left-hander. Avilan later allowed a double to Upton Jr., before managing to get out of the inning with the Dodgers’ lead cut to 5-3.

After beating the shift with an infield single to the left side, Chase Utley was pinch-run for by Ronald Torreyes. Seager hit a two-out single up the middle, but Kevin Quackenbush prevented the Dodgers from adding to their lead by striking out Barnes to end the inning.

Torreyes hit an RBI single in the eighth, and the Dodgers’ 6-3 win meant they wrapped up the regular season out with a three-game sweep of the Padres. Chris Hatcher, who recorded a save on Opening Day against the Padres, did the same to close out the season.

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