LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani delivered a clutch two-strike, two-out single in the sixth inning, driving in the go-ahead run and stealing his 56th base of the season, as the Los Angeles Dodgers edged the San Diego Padres 4-3 on Wednesday night. The win moved the Dodgers within one victory of clinching the NL West.
The Dodgers, already assured a postseason spot, extended their lead over the second-place Padres to three games with four left to play, reducing their magic number to two. A win in Thursday’s series finale would secure their 11th division title in 12 years.
Ohtani's single off Adrián Morejón scored Will Smith, who had walked earlier in the inning, giving the Dodgers a 4-3 edge. Ohtani then swiped second base, but Mookie Betts popped out to end the inning.
Dodgers closer Michael Kopech made things tense in the ninth by walking Jake Cronenworth with two outs, putting the tying run on base. Pinch-runner Brandon Lockridge stole second, but Kopech struck out Donovan Solano with a 101 mph fastball to seal his 15th save and keep the crowd roaring.
Alex Vesia (5-4) earned the win with a hitless inning of relief, while Blake Treinen pitched a dominant eighth, fanning Jurickson Profar and Manny Machado on called third strikes after retiring Fernando Tatis Jr. on a flyout.
Tatis had earlier tied the game 3-3 with a 448-foot solo home run in the fifth, his seventh homer in the last 13 games, marking the longest Padres shot of the season. The Padres' five-game winning streak was snapped, just a day after they celebrated clinching a postseason berth with a game-ending triple play.
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