Recap: Los Angeles vs. San Diego
Sports Network | September 26, 2008
Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Manny Ramirez and the rest of the Los Angeles Dodgers popped the champagne to celebrate the NL West title, even after losing, 7-5, to the San Diego Padres.
Arizona's 12-3 loss at St. Louis earlier Thursday handed the Dodgers their second division title in the last 13 seasons. LA heads to the playoffs for the third time in five years.
Dodgers manager Joe Torre then opted to change his lineup for the finale of the three-game series against the Padres, choosing to start Eric Stults on the mound instead of Greg Maddux.
The result had no impact on the Dodgers celebrating on the field before their fans, with Ramirez, Nomar Garciaparra and Torre taking the microphone to address the fans after the game.
"This is just one step to our ultimate goal," said Garciaparra as he and the rest of the Dodgers came out from the locker room soaked in champagne.
Luis Rodriguez went 4-for-4 and had an RBI for the Padres, who didn't dampen the spirits of the NL West champions. The Dodgers received a big ovation at the end of the game and then moved to the clubhouse before Ramirez led the team back to the field.
"It's fine with me that we didn't have to do it on the field tonight," said Torre. "It's very satisfying to me coming to a new ball club. I was curious to see how I would do out here. At 67 years old I didn't know if this was going to work out, but I'm glad I did. Now we have to get ready for the playoffs. Hopefully, we'll have a lot of fun."
The Dodgers head to the playoffs trying to finally win a postseason series, something the organization hasn't done since capturing the World Series in 1988. Since then, the Dodgers have won just one playoff game in a total of four series.
It's been a sweet season for Torre, who unceremoniously left the New York Yankees in the offseason. His new team is in the postseason, while the Yankees aren't, ending their 13-season run in the playoffs.
"I'm surprised the Yankees aren't in it, but they had some injuries," said Torre. "I had a lot of great memories in New York. Brian Cashman (Yankees general manager) called me to congratulate me."
The mid-season acquisition of Ramirez from Boston helped the Dodgers to the division championship. He's hit 17 homers in 50 games since coming to Los Angeles.
"I came here to play and show people that I came to play," said Ramirez. "I don't want to get too high. This is the first step. Our main goal is to win a championship."
As for the game, Brian Giles hit a two-run homer and Adrian Gonzalez added a solo shot. Will Venable drove in two runs for the Padres, who snapped a two- game skid.
Jake Peavy (10-11) gave up four hits and three runs in five frames to post the victory.
Matt Kemp homered for the Dodgers. Stults (2-3) allowed four hits and three runs in 4 2/3 innings to suffer the loss.
Giles homered in the first inning and it became 4-0 in the top of the fifth on RBI singles from Venable and Rodriguez.
Chin-Lung Hu singled in a run in the fifth, and Kemp scored on a Peavy wild pitch, while Andre Ethier walked with the bases loaded. But James Loney flied out to end the inning.
Gonzalez homered in the sixth before Juan Pierre singled in a run in the bottom half, getting the Dodgers within 5-4.
The teams exchanged runs in the eighth with Chase Headley recording an RBI groundout in the top half and Kemp homered off Heath Bell to begin the bottom half.
Venable's sacrifice fly scored Matt Antonelli in the ninth.
Trevor Hoffman threw the final inning for his 29th save.
The Dodgers will head to San Francisco for three games to conclude the regular season, while the Padres host Pittsburgh...LA won the season series, 11-7...The Dodgers left nine men on base.
