#162- Dodgers Sweep Rockies and Collect 94th Win

We made it. We’ve reached Game 162. Thank you to everyone who has made this journey so much fun. All the corny photoshops and rants aside, I really do love the Dodgers. I have also love writing about the Dodgers these past four seasons, and I feel lucky to be able to share my love for this team with you. We still have a lot of fun ahead here at Lasorda’s Lair, and we will always be here every day throughout the playoffs and all through the offseason.

Dodgers 10 16 0

Rockies 5 9 3

WP- Greinke (17-8)

LP- Bergman (3-5)

HR- Kemp (25), Gonzalez (27), Bernadina (1), Rosario (13)

It was all fun and games during the season finale between the Dodgers and Rockies on Sunday afternoon. With the division crown already gleaming upon their heads, the Dodgers set out to sweep the Rockies in the last series of the year in order to capture their 94th win of the season. 94 wins is quite a special number. The only other Dodger team to ever win 94 was none other than the World Champion 1988 team. Coincidence? I hope not.

Juan Uribe, donning Donnie’s number eight jersey, was selected to manage the finale. Clayton Kershaw was the pitching coach, and

September 28, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Matt Kemp (27) celebrates after he hits a two run home run in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Hanley Ramirez was hilariously chosen by Uribe to be his bench coach. Hanley of course was wearing Tim Wallach‘s jersey for the day.

The bubble machine was cranked up to high as Matt Kemp, Adrian Gonzalez, and Roger Bernadina all hit huge homeruns for the home crowd. Bernadina, the unlikely hero, collected four RBIs. Adrian Gonzalez solidified his RBI title and finished the year with 116 RBIs. That’s the most for the first baseman since 2011 when he drove in 117.

Zack Greinke made his final start of the season, a shortened start for the star pitcher who will be starting Game 2 for the Dodgers next Saturday in the NLDS. He collected his 17th win.

The Dodgers weren’t about to phone in this final series, and Matt Kemp kept the bubbles flowing with a two-run Bison Blast in the home half of the first off Christian Bergman. That was Kemp’s 25th homerun of the season, and the Dodgers took a 2-0 lead after Adrian Gonzalez doubled and Matt Kemp gave him a free ride home.

The Rockies notched a run against Greinke in the second inning. Drew Stubbs singled and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Brandon Barnes. With Josh Rutledge at-bat, Stubbs stole third when A.J.’s throw got away from Miguel Rojas who was manning third base. A subsequent RBI single from Rutledge cashed in the run, and the Dodgers’ lead was cut in half 2-1.

Juan Uribe changed into a Tommy Lasorda jersey before the third inning. I was joking that I hope he didn’t late change into a Joe Torre jersey otherwise the Dodgers would have to shut down the bubble machine.

In the bottom of the third, the Dodgers added three runs to their tally with a big three-run blast to right field! More bubbles were flowing, and the Dodgers took a 5-1 lead over the lowly Rockies.

Zack Greinke hit his sixth double of the season with one out in the fourth, but he was stranded at third. Greinke finished the season with an even .200 batting average.

Greinke finished off his season with a 1-2-3 inning against the Rockies in the fifth. He allowed 1 run on 4 hits with 6

September 28, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Zack Greinke (21) pitches the second inning against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

strikeouts and 1 walk on 77 pitches. The ace finished the season with a 17-8 record and a 2.71 ERA.

Yimi Garcia took over for Greinke in the sixth, and the right-hander struck out the side!

The Dodgers scored again in the bottom of the sixth thanks to consecutive singles from Erisbel Arruebarrena and Drew Butera and a RBI single by Darwin Barney. 6-1 Dodgers. That would be the end of the line for Christian Bergman. Rob Scahill came out of the Colorado bullpen to take over for Bergman, and Roger Bernadina proceeded to hit a three-run homerun to right field. I think we can call it a season now. 9-1 Dodgers.

Christian Bergman pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed 8 runs on 11 hits with 4 strikeouts and no walks on 99 pitches.

I was waiting for the moment when manager Juan Uribe would need to make a pitching change. Adorned in his Tommy jersey and cool shades, Uribe went out to the mound to hook Pedro Baez with one out in the seventh. He brought in Daniel Coulombe who came in with two on. Coulombe allowed a single to Rutledge to load the bases up, and then Rafael Ynoa hit a bases-clearing double to drive in three Colorado runs. Alex Guerrero, who was in left field, made a diving attempt but no such luck. 9-4.

Roger Bernadina picked up his FOURTH RBI of the game in the bottom of the seventh off Nick Masset. Rojas singled and advanced to second on a throwing error by Rutledge. Butera was hit in the helmet with a pitch, and Rojas moved to third on a force hit into by Barney. Bernadina then hit a RBI single to right field, and the Dodgers took a 10-4 lead when Rojas came home to score.

Wilin Rosario hit a lead-off solo homerun against Coulombe in the top of the eighth for the fifth run of the day for the Rox.

Kenley Jansen made his final regular season outing in the top of the ninth. There was a scary moment when Drew Butera and Miguel Rojas collided while going for a foul pop up, but Butera caught it and they seemed to be okay. Kenley picked up his 100th strikeout when he whiffed Matt McBride for the second out. The final out of the season was a strikeout of Kyle Parker by Kenley. The End.

Juan Uribe is now 1-0 in his managerial career.

The Dodgers ride a five-game winning streak into the postseason and finish with a record of 94-68. The Dodgers will get some time off before they reconvene to take on the Cardinals in Game 1 of the NLDS on Friday at Dodger Stadium.