Los Angeles Dodgers' Manny Machado hits a home run off off St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher John Brebbia during the seventh inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018, in St. Louis. (AP Photo / Billy Hurst)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Manny Machado points skyward after hitting a home run off St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher John Brebbia during the seventh inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018, in St. Louis. (AP Photo / Billy Hurst)
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Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018, in St. Louis. (AP Photo / Billy Hurst)
Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman David Freese, right, throws the ball to first base goal St. Louis Cardinals' Jose Martinez, left, is safe on an error during the fifth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018, in St Louis. (AP Photo / Billy Hurst)
St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Austin Gomber throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018, in St. Louis. (AP Photo / Billy Hurst)
Los Angeles Dodgers' David Freese on the baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018, in St. Louis. (AP Photo / Billy Hurst)
ST. LOUIS, MO – SEPTEMBER 13: David Freese # 25 of the Los Angeles Dodgers bats in two runs with a triple against the St. Louis Cardinals in the first inning at Busch Stadium on September 13, 2018 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat / Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS, MO – SEPTEMBER 13: Matt Kemp # 27 of the Los Angeles Dodgers Beat a St. Louis Cardinals in the first inning at Busch Stadium on September 13, 2018 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat / Getty Images)
Los Angeles Dodgers' David Freese, left, is congratulated by manager Dave Roberts after scoring during the first inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018, in St. Louis. (AP Photo / Billy Hurst)
St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Austin Gomber, second from right, speaks with pitching coach Mike Maddux, second from left, catcher Yadier Molina, left, and shortstop Paul DeJong, right, look at the first inning of a baseball game against Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018, in St. Louis. (AP Photo / Billy Hurst)
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw works from the stretch during the first inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018, in St. Louis. (AP Photo / Billy Hurst)
ST. LOUIS, MO – SEPTEMBER 13: Clayton Kershaw # 22 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals in the second inning at Busch Stadium on September 13, 2018 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat / Getty Images)
St. Louis Cardinals' Francisco Pena, left, reacts after being called out, as Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes looks on during the seventh inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018, in St. Louis. (AP Photo / Billy Hurst)
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw throws during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018, in St. Louis. (AP Photo / Billy Hurst)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Manny Machado hits a sacrifice fly to centerfield scoring Chris Taylor during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018, in St. Louis. (AP Photo / Billy Hurst)
ST. LOUIS, MO – SEPTEMBER 13: Marcell Ozuna # 23 of the St. Louis Cardinals drops a fly ball against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the third inning at Busch Stadium on September 13, 2018 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat / Getty Images)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Enrique Hernandez (14) is congratulated by Manny Machado (8) and Matt Kemp (27) after scoring on a single by Clayton Kershaw during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Thursday, Sept. 13 , 2018, in St. Louis. (AP Photo / Billy Hurst)
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Kenta Maeda throws during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018, in St. Louis. (AP Photo / Billy Hurst)
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Kenta Maeda throws during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018, in St. Louis. (AP Photo / Billy Hurst)
Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Enrique Hernandez can not catch a home run by St. Louis Cardinals' Tyson Ross during the fifth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018, in St. Louis. (AP Photo / Billy Hurst)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Austin Barnes singles to left field during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018, in St. Louis. (AP Photo / Billy Hurst)
ST. LOUIS, MO – SEPTEMBER 13: Austin Barnes # 15 of the Los Angeles Dodgers is caught stealing third base against Jedd Gyorko # 3 of the St. Louis Cardinals in the Sixth inning at Busch Stadium on September 13, 2018 in St. Louis, Missouri . (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat / Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS, MO – SEPTEMBER 13: Manny Machado # 8 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws to first base against the St. Louis Cardinals in the sixth inning at Busch Stadium on September 13, 2018 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat / Getty Images)
St. Louis Cardinals' Tyson Ross hits a home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018, in St. Louis. (AP Photo / Billy Hurst)
ST. LOUIS, MO – SEPTEMBER 13: Justin Turner # 10 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits an RBI bag fly to score against the St. Louis Cardinals in the fourth inning at Busch Stadium on September 13, 2018 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat / Getty Images)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Manny Machado watches the St. Louis Cardinals Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018, in St. Louis. (AP Photo / Billy Hurst)
ST. LOUIS, MO – SEPTEMBER 13: Manny Machado # 8 of the Los Angeles Dodgers is congratulated by teammates after the St. Louis Cardinals in the Seventh inning at Busch Stadium on September 13, 2018 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat / Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS, MO – SEPTEMBER 13: Kenley Jansen # 74 of the Los Angeles Dodgers Pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals in the ninth inning at Busch Stadium on September 13, 2018 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat / Getty Images)
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal, left, and relief pitcher Kenley Jansen celebrating the end of the game against the St. Louis Cardinals Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018, in St. Louis. (AP Photo / Billy Hurst)
ST. LOUIS – When David Freese is on his way to the bus at Busch Stadium in the first inning Thursday night, it was a reminder of the glory days for the Cardinals fans.
The MVP of the Cardinals' 2011 World Series victory in St. Louis. But the fans still gave him an ovation long and loud enough for him to step out of the batter's box.
"It's humbling. It's borderline embarrassing. But it's cool, "Freese said later extending Cardinals starter Austin Gomber for 14 pitches, then finally lashing a two-run triple-down the line to start the Dodgers on their way to a 9-7 victory over the Cardinals.
The win allowed the Dodgers to hold their position 1-1 / 2 games back in the National League West (the Colorado Rockies beat the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday afternoon) and move into one of the Cardinals for the NL's second wild-card spot.
Freese's at-bat might have been a reminder of the kind of grinding that was so effective for the Dodgers a year ago but has been sporadically evident this year.
"We just talked it out," said Freese, who offered some input to the Cardinals 'starter rookie during the Dodgers' pre-game meeting. "He's got good stuff. We just had to stay with the plan and get the best deal.
"We took good swings, man. We did not take launch swings. We took swings to keep you going and keep it going. It was a good night. "
It was that.
During the Cardinals' three-game sweep at Dodger Stadium from Aug. 20-22, the Dodgers batted just .186 and scored a total of six runs. They exceeded that total number of 8-1 on their way to a 16-hit night.
Four of the first five Dodgers reached base against Gomber. Freese's triple was followed by RBI single by Matt Kemp.
Back-to-back twins by Justin Turner and Manny Machado, another runner-up in the third inning and the Dodgers drove Gomber from the game with a four-run fourth inning. The first four Dodgers had hits in the fourth, including a show-bunt, a single RBI pull-back by Clayton Kershaw and an RBI double by Chris Taylor. Turner and Machado went back-to-back on sacrifice flies that time around.
Machado made it a three-hit, three-RBI night in the game (his 34th of the season, 10 in 50 games with the Dodgers).
"Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said," We have a lot of things to do with grind starters and get a big hit and use the whole field. "When we're doing that, we're as good as anybody. When we're going out of the strike zone, we're not. "
All that offense should have made for an easy night with Kershaw on the mound. It did not.
The left-hander was not at his best. He allowed 11 baserunners in six innings – eight hits (including a home run to Cardinals reliever Tyson Ross), two walks and an error by Freese at first base. Kershaw in 18 starts dating to April 20 against the Washington Nationals when he gave up a season-high nine hits.
"I thought it was a grind for him," Roberts said. "I thought he was good, not great."
The Cardinals closed the gap with a three-run fifth inning then appeared to make it even more comfortable for the Dodgers in the seventh inning when Kenta Maeda came in.
Maeda gave up three consecutive hits but only one run to Taylor. The left fielder ran down Jedd Gyorko 's single and threw Paul DeJong.
The Cardinals Charged the Foundations on Two Walks and Breaches in the Ninth Against Kenley Jansen, who took two of the losses during the series in L.A.
"It got a little nerve-wracking there," Roberts acknowledged.
Shut down for stretches has a broken heart, Jansen has struggled with his delivery, and has a lack of movement. It's been a frustrating year.
"I'm not going to complain about that. No apologies, "he said. "It's definitely hard. But you've got to continue to go. Let this motivate you.
"I did not feel sorry for myself the whole year. This is what makes you great, when you go through a rough patch like this. … Stay humble and compete. "
