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Rockies lose in extras, Dodgers clinch division title

Colorado Rockies’ Dustin Garneau, right, scores past Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Carlos Ruiz on a sacrifice fly hit by Charlie Blackmon during the third inning of Sunday’s 4-3 Rockies extra-inning loss.

LOS ANGELES – David Dahl’s go-ahead home run in the ninth gave the Rockies hope.

The Dodgers took it away in the bottom of the inning, with a tying homer by Corey Seager.

Then former Rockies second baseman Charlie Culberson homered with two outs in the 10th inning, giving Los Angeles a 4-3 victory Sunday that clinched its fourth straight NL West title.

“I’m looking like I’m not going to give up a run and then a homer and then another homer to clinch the division and everything,” Colorado reliever Adam Ottavino said. “It’s just kind of amazing.”

The Rockies notched their 83rd defeat, having been swept in the four-game series. The finished 7-12 against the Dodgers this season.

“Tough loss any way you look at it,” manager Walt Weiss said.

Culberson’s first homer of the season and just sixth of his career landed in the lower left-field seats, touching off wild cheers and a raucous celebration at home plate. The Dodgers charged out of their dugout and surrounded Culberson, jumping up and down.

“I wanted to see how they did it because everybody on this team believes and thinks that we’re going to do that next year,” Rockies starter Tyler Anderson said. “I want them to enjoy it. They worked hard and earned it, but hope’s not too (far off).”

Anderson allowed two runs and 10 hits in 6 1/3 innings. The left-hander struck out one and walked two.

“A lot of the balls that were hits were groundballs that got through or balls that snuck down the line,” he said.

Colorado’s DJ LeMahieu recorded his NL-leading 59th multi-hit game with a pair of singles.

The Dodgers took off their caps, turned toward Vin Scully’s broadcasting booth and held them in a salute to the 88-year-old Hall of Famer, who has just three games at San Francisco next weekend before ending his 67-year career.

Under first-year manager Dave Roberts, the Dodgers became the first NL West team to win four straight division titles.

Scully began with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1950 and is the longest-tenured broadcaster with a single team in professional sports. He was nattily attired in his usual long-sleeved shirt and tie despite the 95-degree heat.

Joe Blanton (7-2) pitched the 10th to get the victory.

Boone Logan (2-5) took the loss in relief.

The Dodgers provided plenty of drama for Scully to describe.

Seager homered with two outs in the ninth off Adam Ottavino, tying the game 3-all. It was the rookie’s 190th hit of the season to go with a single in the first and triple in the seventh.

Dahl’s two-out homer snapped a 2-all tie in the ninth off closer Kenley Jansen.

Seager’s triple rolled into the right-field corner, tying the game 2-all and chasing Anderson.

The Dodgers trailed 2-1 after Yasiel Puig’s sacrifice fly in the third.

Colorado took a 2-0 lead in the third on Dustin Garneau’s RBI double in the right field corner and Charlie Blackmon’s sacrifice fly.

Brandon McCarthy came off the disabled list (right hip stiffness) earlier in the day to make his first start for the Dodgers since Aug. 13. He replaced Rich Hill, who skipped his scheduled start for precautionary reasons because of a recurrence of blisters on the index finger of his left pitching hand.

McCarthy gave up two runs and four hits in 5 1/3 innings, struck out six and walked one. He hasn’t won since July 9 against San Diego.

REMEMBERING FERNANDEZ

There was a moment of silence for Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez before the game. He was killed in a boating accident early Sunday in Miami. Fellow Cuban Yasiel Puig used pieces of white athletic tape to secure Fernandez’s jersey to the wall of the Dodgers’ dugout. The flags in center field were lowered to half-staff.

TURNSTILES CLICKING

The announced attendance of 51,962 brought the Dodgers’ season total to 3,703,312, their fourth consecutive year leading the major leagues.

UP NEXT

Rockies: They’re off Monday before opening a three-game series at San Francisco. RHP German Marquez (1-0, 3.48 ERA) makes his first major league start on the road, where he has a 6.23 ERA. He has yet to allow a homer.

Dodgers: After an off day Monday, RHP Jose De Leon (2-0, 5.52) starts the series opener at San Diego. He beat the Padres 7-4 in his major league debut on Sept. 4, allowing four runs (three earned) and five hits in six innings. He had nine strikeouts and no walks.



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