The Los Angeles Dodgers finally took the National League West with an 8-0 victory over the San Francisco Giants. The Dodgers exorcised a few demons from this season in the form of Madison Bumgarner and AT & T Park in San Francisco. Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers had not beaten Bumgarner or won a game in San Francisco this season.
The Dodgers also won with class. The San Francisco Giants posted a message congratulating the Dodgers on winning the National League West with a hashtag of respecttherivalry on their scoreboard after the game and Kershaw and Adrian Gonzalez gave credit to the Giants for being a good team, competing until the end, and having a good season.
Kershaw pitched one of his best games of the season, pitching a one hit shutout and striking out 13. He also had a 13 pitch at bat against Bumgarner in the fifth inning in which Kershaw fouled off pitch after pitch before grounding out to second base. In describing the at bat bat after the game Kershaw admitted that he did not stand a chance against Bumgarner but wanted to make him work. Kershaw was congratulated by his teammates in the dugout after his at bat.
Justin Ruggiano and A.J. Ellis hit back-to-back homeruns in the sixth inning to finish off Bumgarner and Kershaw closed it out and that was how the west was won. I was surprised to learn that it was the first time that the Dodgers had won three division titles in a row and winning it in San Francisco made it even better for any Dodgers fan.
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