Dodgers face Giants in must-win scenario

I guess it's fitting that the Dodgers face off against the Giants for the final three games of the regular season with everything on the line.

The Dodgers-Giants rivalry goes back to New York and the two teams genuinely despise each other.

Tonight, Hyun-Jin Ryu faces off against Madison Bumgarner in the series opener. The Dodgers trail Colorado by one game in the NL West and have a one-game lead over St. Louis for the second Wild Card spot.

These next few days are not for the faint of heart.

The Rockies have been on fire. Since losing three at Chavez Ravine last week, the Rocks have won seven straight, sweeping Arizona and Philadelphia. Now they host the Washington Nationals with a chance to win the division.

I bleed Dodger Blue, but if Colorado closes the season with 10 straight pressure wins ya gotta tip your hat.

The playoff scenarios are crazy. If the Dodgers and Rockies end the season in a tie for the NL West, there will be be a one-game playoff Monday in Los Angeles. At this point, the Dodgers, Rockies, Brewers, Cardinals and Cubs are all fighting for either a division title or a Wild Card spot. 

Going into this weekend, the Cubs hold a one-game lead over the Brewers for the NL Central title. The Cards are one game behind the Dodgers for the NL Wild Card. Chicago and St. Louis face off to end the season. The Brewers have locked up a trip to the playoffs, either as a division champ or a Wild Card team. Milwaukee faces Detroit.

When all the dust clears, we hope the Dodgers are still standing. According to MLB.com, the Dodgers have a 38 percent chance to win the division and a 90.5 percent chance to make the playoffs.

I think there is a 100 percent chance my blood pressure is going up.

Dodgers step it up at critical hour

Ah, the joys of a pennant race.

After chasing Arizona and Colorado for most of the season, the Dodgers breathed some hope into their 2018 chances this week when they edged into first place with a three-game sweep of the Rockies at Chavez Ravine on the heels of taking three out of four in St. Louis.

Clayton Kershaw got the call on Sept. 13 in St. Louis but Manny Machado was the hero, knocking in three RBI, including his 34th homer, as the Dodgers posted a 9-7 win.  

On Sept. 14,  the Dodgers shut down the Cards 3-0 as rookie Walker Buehler held the Redbirds to two hits over eight innings and Yasiel Puig hit a pair of dingers.

On Sept. 15, Los Angeles unloaded on St. Louis for a third-straight victory, 17-4, as Puig erupted for three home runs and seven RBI as the Dodgers pulled even with St. Louis for a wild card slot.

The hot streak cooled off on Sept. 16 when Adam Wainwright held the Dodgers to two hits over six innings as St. Louis salvaged a win in the series, 5-0.

Which set up the epic showdown with the Rockies this week. The Dodgers entered Monday a half game out of the division lead with everything on the line.

On Monday, Hyun Jin-Ryu pitched seven scoreless innings and held Colorado to four hits as the Dodgers posted an 8-2 win. Joc Pederson homered twice and Max Muncy added his 33rd dinger in the rout.

Tuesday, Kershaw went seven innings and allowed two runs on three hits but it was Chris Taylor who was the hero, hitting a walk-off homer in the 10th inning for a dramatic 3-2 victory.

Last night, Buehler held St. Louis to three hits over six innings and Puig hit a three-run pinch-hit homer in the seventh to guide the Dodgers to a 5-2 win and a 2.5 game lead in the NL West standings with nine games left in the season.

Puig has hit six homers in his last 18 at-bats.

The Dodgers close out their home schedule with three against the Padres this weekend followed by three at Arizona and three at San Francisco to end the regular season.


Buckle up. It may get rocky.