Dodgers Week 20: Separation in the National League West

LOS ANGELES — All seven games last week for the Dodgers were against the National League West, and they won them all, fortifying their perch atop the division.

They finished off a series in San Diego by beating the Padres Monday, then took two from a reeling Diamondbacks team in Arizona before returning home to sweep the lowly Rockies.

“Right now we’re in that mode of, we just know how to win, and we’re finding ways to win baseball games. Whether it’s a great pitching performance or a big hit late or pouring it on offensively,” manager Dave Roberts said Friday. “Every night ultimately we feel like we’re going to score more runs than the other team.”

Getting Clayton Kershaw back this week after missing a month and a half with shoulder soreness was a big boost, and Lance Lynn has won all three starts since getting acquired from the White Sox before the trade deadline. The fortified Dodgers rotation, including Julio Urías rounding into form, suddenly looks like a strength, and has pitched like it lately. In August, Dodgers starters have a 2.25 ERA and have lasted at least six innings seven times, matching the rotation’s total during all of July.

For the bulk of the season, the offense has been the driving force behind the success, out-slugging teams at times when the pitching staff faltered. But this week, Dodgers pitchers were stellar. Tony Gonsolin had a blow-up inning Monday in a game the team allowed seven runs, but in the next six games Dodgers pitchers allowed only 10 runs in total.

That pitching rescued an offense that outside of a 13-run outburst Monday wasn’t dynamic, though they did get the job done. The Dodgers even won three games in which they did not hit a home run (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday), nearly matching their win total without a long ball from the first 110 games of the season (4-19).

“There are so many different ways you can win a game,” said Max Muncy, who did homer Thursday and also walked with the bases loaded, driving in both runs. “It’s just guys taking good at-bats, trying to string some hits together, and not let the moment get too big for us.”

The Dodgers were in second place in the division as late as July 8, their final game before the All-Star break. They’ve been padding their lead ever since, and even in this last week along saw their lead over second-place San Francisco swell from four games to 8½ games in just seven days.

“We’re taking care of business,” Roberts said.

Batter of the week

Mookie Betts drove in nine runs during the week, including a go-ahead grand slam Monday and an RBI single in the ninth inning on Tuesday in a game the Dodgers held on to win by one run. He also broken open Sunday’s game with a two-run double in the sixth inning.

Honorable mention goes to James Outman, who homered and also reached base nearly half the time.

Pitcher of the week

Julio Urías pitched six scoreless innings on Tuesday in Arizona, then struck out a career-high-tying 12 in seven innings to beat the Rockies on Sunday.

Week 20 results

7-0 record
40 runs scored (5.71 per game)
17 runs allowed (2.43 per game)
.827 pythagorean win percentage

Year to date

71-46 record
664 runs scored (5.68 per game)
528 runs allowed (4.51 per game)
.603 pythagorean win percentage (71-46)

Miscellany

Snowman in San Diego: The Dodgers scored eight runs in the fourth inning on Monday in San Diego, punctuated by a Mookie Betts grand slam, the Dodgers’ 11th grand slam of the season to tie a franchise record. Eight runs is the most scored in one inning by the Dodgers this season.

Sweeping success: In 31 seasons playing one another, the Dodgers and Rockies have played in 33 series lasting at least four games. Only two of them ended in a sweep by Los Angeles, including this weekend at Dodger Stadium. The other came in 2016.

Transactions

Tuesday: Fresh arm swap in the bullpen, with Bryan Hudson sent to Triple-A after pitching two innings, and Victor González called up.

Thursday: Clayton Kershaw returned after six weeks on the IL, and González was optioned.

Saturday: Yency Almonte landed on the IL after spraining his right knee in the ninth inning Friday. González was recalled.

Sunday: Joe Kelly was placed on the IL with elbow inflammation, retroactive to Thursday.

Game results

• Monday: Dodgers 13, Padres 7
• Tuesday: Dodgers 5, D-backs 4
• Wednesday: Dodgers 2, D-backs 0
• Thursday: Dodgers 2, Rockies 1
• Friday: Dodgers 6, Rockies 1
• Saturday: Dodgers 4, Rockies 1
• Sunday: Dodgers 8, Rockies 3

Previous reviews: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13 | Week 14 | Week 15 | Week 16 | Week 17 | Week 18 | Week 19

The week ahead

After Monday’s home off day, the Dodgers finish off their homestand by running the Chuck Carr gauntlet, hosting the Brewers and Marlins, the former providing a potential National League Division Series preview (which starts on Saturday, October 7).