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LOS ANGELES Twice this week, the Dodgers have staged spectacular comebacks to stoke their hopes of winning a National League West title.
No return was necessary on Saturday. Not at Dodger Stadium, at least.
After beating the Milwaukee Brewers 8-3, the Dodgers will enter the final day of the regular season with a chance to win their ninth straight Western National League title. They can thank the San Diego Padres, who came back from behind in San Francisco earlier Saturday to hand the Giants a 3-2 loss in 10 innings.
The Giants (106-55) lead the Dodgers (105-56) by one game. Only a Giants loss to the Padres and a Dodgers victory over the Brewers on Sunday will force an extra game on Monday in San Francisco to determine the division winner.
The division’s second-place team will host the St. Louis Cardinals next Wednesday for the National League Wild Card game.
Justin Turner’s three-run home run in the first inning set the tone for the announced crowd of 49,705 at Dodger Stadium. Brewers starter Corbin Burnes had already left the game when AJ Pollock scored a two-run homer in the fourth inning, and Corey Seager unleashed a solo shot to right field in the fifth.
Dodgers starter Julio Urías (20-3) limited Milwaukee to one run in six innings. He did not allow a hit after Eduardo Escobar’s brace in the first set. The southpaw walked two batters and struck out seven in his 32nd and final start of the season.
Prior to Urías, no Dodgers pitcher had won 20 games in a season since Clayton Kershaw in 2014. He is the fourth Mexican-born pitcher to win 20, joining Esteban Loaiza (2003), Fernando Valenzuela and Teddy Higuera (1986). ).
An expected pitching duel between Urías and Burnes never fully materialized.
After Turner’s home run, Burnes scored a goalless second. But Brewers manager Craig Counsell decided to replace his starting pitcher with a pinch hitter early in the third inning.
Milwaukee entered the weekend already assured of facing National League Eastern winner the Atlanta Braves in the Division Series. Burnes is a good candidate to start the first game of this series. Counsell chose to rest his ace rather than extend it further.
Despite his shortened departure, Burnes could have won an ERA title.
Max Scherzer’s ERA rose to 2.46 when he left against the Padres on Wednesday. By allowing three runs in two sets, Burnes’ ERA rose to 2.43.
Walker Buehler, third in the National League at 2.49, will start Sunday for the Dodgers, needing five scoreless innings to pass Burnes. Scherzer wouldn’t get another regular season start until Monday in San Francisco if the Dodgers and Giants are tied for the NL West title.
The only spotlight on Saturday was Urías, who became the 12th pitcher for the Dodgers to win 20 games in a season. His 2.96 ERA makes him one of eight qualified pitchers who will end the season with an ERA of less than 3.00.
Besides the spring training matches, Urías had never pitched more than 127 2/3 innings in a season before this year. He ends the 2021 regular season at 185 2/3.
Seager, Muncy, Justin Turner and Trea Turner each had two of the Dodgers’ eight hits as a team.
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