Dodgers move into first place in NL West for the first time since the 25th ril after comeback victory vs. Braves
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For the first time since May 30, the San Francisco Giants are not in first place in the NL West. The Giants' loss to the Brewers (MIL 5, SF 2) combined with the Los Angeles Dodgers beating the Braves (LA 4, ATL 3) moved the Dodgers to first place on Wednesday. The Dodgers are half a game up in the division and they now have the baseball’s best record of 85-49.
Here are the best records in baseball after Wednesday’s action:
- Dodgers: 85-49
- Fighting: 84-49 (1/2 GB)
- Rays: 84-49 (1/2 GB)
- Breweries: 82-52 (3 GB)
- Astros: 78-44 (6 1/2 GB)
The Dodgers received six shutout innings from Max Scherzer on Wednesday, but needed to rally against the Atlanta bullpen to secure victory. With two outs in the eighth inning, Justin Turner and AJ Pollock pulled groundball singles through the left side of the infield to level the game and give the Dodgers the least.
Kenley Jansen and Blake Treinen were unavailable due to their recent workloads, so Dodgers manager Dave Roberts went to Joe Kelly to protect the lead on a run in the ninth, and he retired on 10 lanes. Wednesday’s win is the 20th in the last 24 games for the Dodgers. They were five games left in the NL West as late as August 13th.
As for the Giants, they erased a two-run deficit in the fifth inning against Brewers relief Justin Topa, but Milwaukee took the lead on Jace Peterson’s two-out, two-strike single in the seventh. They added two insurance runs at the top of the ninth and the bullpen made the lead rise. The Giants have lost four straight games and five of their last six games.
San Francisco spent 93 days in a row in first place before Wednesday, and their 119 days in first place overall are the second most in baseball this season (the White Sox have spent 120 days in first). Los Angeles alone is in first place for the first time since ril 25. They have only spent 25 days on top of NL West this year.
The Giants and Dodgers will end their season series with a three-game set at Oracle Park this weekend (September 3-5). The season series is currently dead, even with eight wins and 68 races scored for each team.