Recap: Zack Greinke Reaches 200 Strikeouts, Dodgers Clinch Home-Field Advantage
Still with the Padres’ only hit on the night, Hedges added to that by hitting a towering solo home run in the fifth inning. With their lead suddenly cut in half, the Dodgers weren’t able to put together a productive bottom half of the fifth.
Spangenberg led off the sixth with a base hit and moved into scoring position with one out on Yangervis Solarte’s single to center. However, Greinke worked himself out of the jam by striking out Gyorko and Brett Wallace.
Greinke got through the seventh inning by setting the Padres down in order, which included collecting his 199th strikeout this season. Erlin hit Justin Ruggiano with a pitch to put him on with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. It didn’t cost the Padres as Puig fouled out to end the inning.
Despite having thrown 95 pitches, Greinke returned to the mound in the eighth. He opened the inning by striking out pinch-hitter Derek Norris, which gave Greinke 200 punchouts on the season. Spangenberg and Upton Jr., were then retired and the Dodgers’ 2-1 lead held.
Kenley Jansen allowed a one-out single and followed it by hitting Wallace with a pitch. He kept the Padres at bay to convert the save opportunity, secure home-field advantage in the NLDS, and render Sunday’s game meaningless for the Dodgers.
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