Dodgers reach 100-win mark with another one-sided win over Giants
Dodgers shortstop Trea Turner, left, and second baseman Gavin Lux celebrate after they defeated the San Francisco Giants, 7-2, on Saturday night in San Francisco. It was the team’s 100th victory of the season with 18 regular-season games left. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Trea Turner throws out San Francisco Giants’ Heliot Ramos at first base during the fifth inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Julio Urias walks toward the dugout after retiring the San Francisco Giants during the sixth inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) catches a pop out hit by San Francisco Giants’ Wilmer Flores in front of second baseman Gavin Lux, left, and right fielder Mookie Betts during the seventh inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Betts gestures toward teammates after hitting a single during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
San Francisco Giants third baseman Evan Longoria throws out Los Angeles Dodgers’ Justin Turner at first base during the seventh inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Justin Turner, right, hits an RBI single in front of San Francisco Giants catcher Joey Bart during the fourth inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman runs to first base after hitting an RBI single during the third inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
San Francisco Giants pitcher Sean Hjelle waits on the mound before being relieved during the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Julio Urias, bottom, pitches against the San Francisco Giants during the third inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Joey Gallo, left, slides into second base after hitting a double next to San Francisco Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford during the second inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Trayce Thompson, left, is congratulated by Gavin Lux (9) after hitting a two-run home run that scored Justin Turner during the second inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Trayce Thompson (25) rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in front of San Francisco Giants third baseman Evan Longoria during the second inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
San Francisco Giants’ John Brebbia pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
San Francisco Giants’ Thairo Estrada (39) is congratulated by Evan Longoria after scoring against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Trea Turner makes an error on a grounder hit into by San Francisco Giants’ Wilmer Flores during the first inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Julio Urias pitches against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
San Francisco Giants’ Wilmer Flores, right, watches from the dugout with teammates during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Trayce Thompson, left, celebrates with manager Dave Roberts after the Dodgers defeated the San Francisco Giants in a baseball game in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Former San Francisco Giants player Barry Bonds waves as he arrives at a ceremony honoring Hunter Pence on the team’s Wall of Fame before a baseball game between the Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Former San Francisco Giants players Barry Bonds, left, and Will Clark smile during a ceremony honoring Hunter Pence onto the team’s Wall of Fame before a baseball game between the Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Former San Francisco Giants player Hunter Pence rides a scooter onto the field for a ceremony to be honored on the team’s Wall of Fame before a baseball game between the Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Former San Francisco Giants player Hunter Pence rides a scooter onto the field for a ceremony to be honored on the team’s Wall of Fame before a baseball game between the Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Former San Francisco Giants player Hunter Pence speaks during a ceremony honoring him onto the team’s Wall of Fame before a baseball game between the Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Hall of Fame player Orlando Cepeda, left, smiles as he talks with former San Francisco Giants player Tito Fuentes before a baseball game between the Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Hall of Fame player Orlando Cepeda before a baseball game between the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
For the third time in the past three full seasons and the fourth time in the past six, the Dodgers reached triple digits in wins, pounding their way to the milestone with a 7-2 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Saturday night.
“It just speaks to the level of consistency. Every team goes through adversities. But to have a consistent level of play to win 100 games to this point is quite the accomplishment,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
“To win 100 games, you’ve got to do a lot of things right over the course of a long season. That’s kind of the bar, the standard we have. That’s what I’m most proud of. Where you get to is winning 100 games.”
The Dodgers outhit the Giants 13-5 to secure the 10th 100-win season in franchise history.
It was an appropriate way to reach the century mark.
The Dodgers have gone 45-16 against NL West opponents, including 14-4 against the Giants this season. And they have dominated all of their opponents.
Their run differential of plus-328 is the best in franchise history and the best in MLB since the 1939 New York Yankees bludgeoned opponents for a record plus-411 mark. Saturday was the 57th of their 100 wins to come by a margin of four runs or more.
Those kinds of things happen when you have scored the most runs in baseball (781) and given up the fewest (453). Only one team since World War II – the 116-win Seattle Mariners of 2001 – has done that over a full season. The last National League team to do it was the 1944 St. Louis Cardinals.
“Pitching,” Freddie Freeman said of the most important element. “I think we lead the league in ERA. When you do that you’re going to set yourself up for a lot of chances for wins. Obviously, we’ve got a pretty good offense too. So put those two together and that’s how you’re going to come up with 100 wins in few games.”
Saturday was just another model off this year’s assembly line.
Starter Julio Urias went six innings, allowing just two runs on five hits while striking out eight. It was the 11th consecutive start and 22nd time in 28 starts in which Urias has allowed no more than two runs.
Only one of those runs was earned, dropping Urias’ ERA to an NL-low 2.27
“Same old Julio,” Freeman said. “If he’s not right there in the Cy Young contention, I don’t know what that award would mean then because he has been doing it all year.”
Miami Marlins right-hander Sandy Alcantara spent most of the season as the National League Cy Young frontrunner, but Urias has passed him in ERA, WHIP and batting average against with Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Zac Gallen also surging. With three or four starts left, Urias (17-7 with 14 wins in his past 16 starts) has a chance at a second consecutive 20-win season.
Dodgers rest half of their lineup, lose to Diamondbacks in 10 innings
“Not really,” Urias said in Spanish when asked if he has given any thought to winning a Cy Young award this year. “Obviously there will be opinions and people will say a lot of things. But I try to stay focused on what I have to do each start.
“Those numbers will speak for themselves and we’ll see.”
After sloppy defense led to that unearned run against Urias in the first, the Dodgers scored six runs in the next two innings, getting a two-run home run from Trayce Thompson in the second inning and then scoring four times in the third inning.
Thompson’s home run was his 11th since being acquired by the Dodgers from the Detroit Tigers for cash considerations in late June.
The four-run burst in the third inning started with five consecutive singles. Freeman, Max Muncy and Justin Turner drove in runs with their hits.
Turner made it a three-hit night with another RBI single in the fourth. He is batting .360 (41 for 114) with runners in scoring position this year.
