September 26, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager (5) is greeted by second baseman Logan Forsythe (11) and left fielder Curtis Granderson (6) after hitting a three run home run in the seventh inning at Dodger Stadium. Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
LOS ANGELES — Yasmani Grandal and Corey Seager hit three-run home runs, and Alex Wood worked around trouble for six innings as the Los Angeles Dodgers clinched home-field advantage in the National League postseason with a 9-2 win over the San Diego Padres on Tuesday.
The win was the Dodgers’ 56th at home this season, breaking the Los Angeles record for home victories in a season despite a stretch of nine consecutive home games during their recent 1-16 slump.
The Dodgers (101-57) hold a 2 1/2-game edge on the American League-leading Cleveland Indians for home field should both teams get to the World Series.
Wood (16-3) allowed eight hits in six innings but just two runs, on solo fifth-inning home runs by Christian Villaneuva and Hunter Renfroe. He walked a batter intentionally and only had one strikeout. Wood has allowed two runs or fewer in 17 of his 25 starts this season.
Wood’s effort extended a fine streak of starts by the Dodgers rotation. In the past 14 games, the Los Angeles rotation has allowed just 18 runs with 79 strikeouts while posting a 1.77 ERA.
Grandal’s fifth-inning blast came against a tiring Dinelson Lamet, who walked two with two outs. Lamet (7-8), who had an excellent effort against the Dodgers in San Diego earlier this month, struck out seven but walked six in his five innings. He yielded four runs on four hits.
Leading 4-2 after Grandal’s home run, the Dodgers added a run in the sixth on Seager’s two-out RBI single, and four in the seventh on a solo home run by Adrian Gonzalez and three-run shot by Seager to make it 9-2.
Bellinger saved a run in the seventh. Making just his third major league start in center field, he threw an on-the-fly dart to catcher Grandal to put out Wil Myers trying to score from second on a two-out single by Renfroe.
Chase Utley’s heads-up baserunning helped the Dodgers to a 1-0 lead in the third.
The veteran second baseman singled to right and Seager walked. On a fly to left, Utley tagged and beat the throw to third by left fielder Jabari Blash. Utley then took off on a grounder by Bellinger to first base and beat Myers’ throw home.
The Padres stranded six runners in the first four innings but used two fifth-inning home runs to take a 2-1 lead.
Villaneuva hit a fly down the right field line that a fan tried to catch in the first row of the seats. The fan bobbled the ball off the top of the short wall, and right fielder Yasiel Puig threw out Villaneuva, who was already in a home run trot, at second.
The umpires reviewed the play and declared it a home run because of fan interference.
Two batters later, Renfroe hit a low line drive over the center field fence for his 25th home run and a 2-1 Padres lead. With the blast, Renfroe broke San Diego’s single-season record for home runs by a rookie. It was previously held by Nate Colbert, who hit 24 in the Padres’ inaugural season in 1969.
The Dodgers, who were 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position in the first four innings, finally wore Lamet down in the fifth.
With two outs, the Padres starter walked Justin Turner and Bellinger. Grandal hit a 3-2 pitch down the right field line for a three-run homer and 4-2 lead. It was his 22nd of the season.
NOTES: Dodgers RF Yasiel Puig returned to the lineup after being benched the previous two games because of disciplinary issues. He doubled in the fourth. … Dodgers 3B Justin Turner started after missing four games with flu-like symptoms and a jammed right thumb. He walked, singled and made a nice defensive play on a line drive by Christian Villaneuva in the third. … Padres CF Manny Margot singled in the third to extend his streak of reaching base to nine games. He is hitting .333 during the streak. … Padres RF Hunter Renfroe extended his hitting streak to seven. He is batting .333 (23-for-69) with six home runs and 15 RBIs this season against the Dodgers. … Padres 2B Yangervis Solarte doubled to extend his hitting streak to seven games.
