Woo Hoo!! Dodgers Win the National League West!

What a momentous day.  What a fabulous game.  What an incredible celebration!

For the first time in the history of the franchise the Dodgers won their third straight division championship, and they did it with their ace on the home-mound of their most hated enemy.

Clayton Kershaw was fantastic.  He started the evening by striking out two of the first three batters he faced, and set a tone that would endure for the rest of the night.  This game was his, and no team dressed in Halloween colors would deter him from finishing his task.  On 103 pitches he completed the game, struck out thirteen and allowed only one hit.  ONE HIT!

As for the Dodgers offense, they did not disappoint.  They got on the board early when they scored a run off a Giants miscue in the first inning.  Then added some power from some unlikely bats. Kike Hernandez, Justin Ruggiano and AJ Ellis hit solo home runs to make the score 4-1.  To put a cherry on top of the cake, they rest of the boys nearly batted around in the 8th inning to add another four runs.

And with that all the fretting and hand-wringing felt by Dodger fans everywhere is over.  It's now time to sit back and enjoy the rest of the week in peace.

Photo above via David Vassegh on twitter.

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2015 Topps Heritage High Number - The Dodgers Insert Cards

Below are pics of most of the Dodger insert cards available in packs of 2015 Heritage High Number.  Go here to check out my previous post on this set.

Real One Autographs

#ROAH-CK Clayton Kershaw                   #ROAH-JPE Joc Pederson

Blog Kiosk: 9/29/2015 - Dodger Links - Pederson, Greinke and Kiké Hernandez

Kiké Hernandez looked fantastic at the plate and on the field last night after spending way too much time rehabbing a hamstring strain he suffered in late-August.  He recorded two singles after coming in late to play centerfield.  Then he made a fantastic grab on a whistling liner that wanted to sail like a salmon evading the clutches of an hungry bear.  Hernandez was electric out there, and I suspect he'll find himself on tonight's starting roster in hopes his enthusiasm is contagious.  No doubt the Dodgers will need his energy to climb over that last bump on the road towards the playoffs.

Unfortunately, the Dodgers were unable to walk away with a victory last night - having lost in twelve innings on a walkoff sacrifice fly.  Don't fret, though.  I think the Dodgers' state of mind is right where it needs to be.  Via a Mark Saxon report at ESPN:

"We played really good today. We played poor in Colorado, but besides that, I feel like we've played well," Greinke said. "Everyone wants to get another win, but we're playing as well as we can and we're playing really focused baseball. Maybe that's the key."

Mattingly appears to agree:

"I felt like we played a little bit [tight] in Colorado, trying to finish it," Mattingly said. "As this game went on, I felt a little bit better about all that."

The photo above via Jon SooHoo on twitter.  Below are more links to check out:

• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Dodgers continue reshaping scouting corps."

The Dodgers, who have moved aggressively this year toward video scouting of opponents, have not renewed the contracts of veteran advance scouts Willie Fraser and Gary Pellant, according to a baseball source.

• Via Ron Kroichick at SF Chronicle, "Joc Pederson of the Dodgers inspired by brother’s battles."  (Hat Tip: r/spike021)

Joc is the one hitting home runs in the major leagues, but he finds inspiration in Champ.

“It’s just being around him — how happy and passionate he is, his positive attitude and outlook on life,” Joc said in a recent phone interview. “You don’t get to choose the cards you get.”

• Here is a fantastic read about the MLBAM's recent use of DMCA takedown notices on users of social media, via Matt Goldman at Beyond the Boxscore: "MLBAM strikes out in marketing baseball."

MLBAM does not track down every tweet or every account that posts a gif of something baseball related. That's more than likely because they simply don't have the resources to do so. Yet, they do step in when something becomes incredibly popular. At this point, taking down something popular, something that is spreading enjoyment of the game, is not in MLBAM's best interests.

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

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