NEWS » The rookie with the preternatural calm pitched the Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES (AP) — What a day for Walker Buehler. Dodgers to a record sixth consecutive NL West title. Buehler tossed one-hit ball into the seventh inning Rollie Fingers Jersey , and Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy launched two-run homers to beat the Colorado Rockies 5-2 in a tiebreaker on Monday.“It’s a normal baseball game. It’s hyped up, there’s an adrenaline, but you got to execute,” Buehler said. “That’s all you can do.”The defending NL champion Dodgers became the first major league team to win six straight division crowns since the Yankees captured nine AL East titles in a row from 1998-2006.“It doesn’t get old,” confirmed ace Clayton Kershaw.Los Angeles now hosts Atlanta in the best-of-five NL Division Series beginning Thursday.“We’re going to beat Atlanta,” a shirtless Yasiel Puig proclaimed, rivulets of beer and champagne down his front and back. “No matter who’s coming, we’re going to the World Series and bring the 2018 championship here.”Denied their first division title in franchise history, the Rockies head to Wrigley Field to play the Chicago Cubs in the NL wild-card game on Tuesday night.“Our guys will put it in the rearview for sure,” Rockies manager Bud Black said of the loss. “The resiliency of this group has been awesome all year.”Pitching in 90-degree heat, Buehler was oh-so-cool in closing out a regular season that ended with Game 163 after both teams had identical records of 91-71.The soft-spoken 24-year-old from Lexington, Kentucky, has been so steady of late that manager Dave Roberts had no qualms about giving Buehler the ball for the crucial game that helped decide the Dodgers’ postseason fate.“He’s ready for this moment,” Roberts said, “and he responded.”Buehler’s only slip-up came on the field after the game when he let loose with an inadvertent expletive, having been handed the mic after fans demanded to hear from him. He clasped his hand to his mouth and apologized.No need to be sorry, though Randy Jones Jersey , after that performance.Buehler settled in quickly, retiring his first six batters in a row, and never did allow a run.“Walker is a tremendous talent,” Kershaw said. “His competitiveness is off-the-charts, his ability is off-the-charts.”Buehler (8-5) had his no-hit bid broken up in the sixth on Charlie Blackmon’s single, one of his two hits for the Rockies.“He didn’t fold at all under pressure,” Muncy said. “He went there and attacked them just like we knew he was going to.”Buehler even helped himself offensively, hitting a single in the sixth for his first professional RBI and extending the Dodgers’ lead to 5-0.“Love that, absolutely,” he said, soaked to the skin.After giving up a two-out walk to Carlos Gonzalez in the seventh, Buehler exited to a standing ovation from the announced crowd of 47,816. He waved his right hand and quickly strode to the dugout as fans chanted his last name. The right-hander struck out three and walked three.Despite posting the best road record in franchise history (44-38), the Rockies couldn’t get untracked. They didn’t advance a runner past second base until the ninth when Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story homered back-to-back off closer Kenley Jansen.Jansen then retired the next three batters in a row.“What happened?” Jansen said when asked about the homers. “We’re first in the division, that’s what happened.”The Dodgers’ two homers extended their franchise and NL-leading total to 235 on the season. Bellinger got the Dodgers on the board with his 25th homer in the fourth, a two-out shot to left that made it 2-0. Muncy struck out leading off but was safe at first on a passed ball by catcher Tony Wolters. After Manny Machado and Yasmani Grandal struck out, Bellinger connected on a 1-0 pitch from German Marquez (14-11).Joc Pederson doubled to deep right-center leading off the fifth. One out later http://www.padresfanproshop.com/authentic-brad-hand-jersey , Muncy hit his 35th homer to left-center, extending the lead to 4-0 and chasing Marquez. Marquez gave up four runs — two earned — and five hits in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out nine and walked two.The Dodgers played their first tiebreaker since 1980, when they lost to Houston for the division title.The Rockies were on a roll coming into the club’s second tiebreaker and first for the NL West title, having won nine of 10 since being swept at Dodger Stadium from Sept. 17-19.“Today was unfortunate, but the fact of the matter is we have a chance to win the World Series,” Blackmon said. “I feel like most of the guys are looking at this as a great opportunity.”DIVISION TITLE ROLLRoberts joins Minnesota’s Ron Gardenhire (2002-04) and Houston’s Larry Dierker (1997-99) as the only managers to win three straight division titles in their first three seasons on the job.GOOGLE-EYED LASORDATom Lasorda stood in the midst of the partying, his blue Dodgers jacket bone-dry. The 91-year-old Hall of Famer, who managed the club to its last World Series title in 1988, wore goggles to protect his eyes from the spray of alcohol.THROUGH THE GATESThe announced attendance of 47,816 pushed the Dodgers’ season total to 3,857,500, breaking the franchise record of 3,857,036 set in 2007 and the sixth-highest in NL history.GOING LONGArenado finished the regular season with 38 homers to lead the NL. Story ended with 37, a career-high.UP NEXTThe Dodgers get two days off before the division series. The Rockies were headed to Chicago immediately after the game. CHICAGO (AP) — So much for any lingering concern about Eduardo Rodriguez’s right ankle.He answered every question with a pile of Ks.Rodriguez struck out 12 in 5 2/3 innings in his return from an ankle injury, leading the Boston Red Sox over the Chicago White Sox 6-1 on Saturday night.“Best stuff of the season Wil Myers Jersey ,” manager Alex Cora said. “Location, mix of pitches, tempo, that was impressive.”Jackie Bradley Jr., Ian Kinsler and Eduardo Nunez homered as AL East-leading Boston maintained its 7½-game lead over the New York Yankees, who held off Detroit for a 2-1 win. The Red Sox won for the fourth time in five games to run the majors’ best record to 94-43, already one more victory than they had when they won the division each of the past two years.Rodriguez (12-3) allowed one run and three hits in his first major league appearance since he sprained his right ankle while covering first against Toronto on July 14. The left-hander retired his first 12 batters, striking out 10.“All my pitches were right where I wanted,” he said.It was a welcome development for a Boston team already missing ace Chris Sale and fellow lefty David Price because of injuries.“We know that we’re searching for outs and for starters and everything. That was great for us,” Cora said. “He’ll be ready for his next start, we know that. There’s no limitations.”Carlos Rodon (6-4) kept the White Sox in the game for a while before committing a costly error in the seventh. With one out and runners on second and third, the lefty fielded Andrew Benintendi’s comebacker and threw wildly to first, allowing Christian Vazquez to come home.“Right now, I just can’t believe I did that,” Rodon said. “But I did it and just got to turn the page.”Steve Pearce and J.D. Martinez then hit run-scoring singles as Boston opened a 5-1 lead. Kinsler added a solo drive on a 3-0 pitch from Ryan Burr in the eighth.Rodon was charged with five runs, four earned, and six hits in 6 1/3 innings in his first loss since June 30. He was 5-0 with a 1.84 ERA in his previous nine starts.“You give a good club like that extra outs and they take advantage of it Rickey Henderson Jersey ,” manager Rick Renteria said.The 25-year-old Rodon was sailing along before Nunez and Bradley connected in the fifth, powering the Red Sox to a 2-0 lead. Nunez’s 10th homer was originally ruled a double, but the call was overturned when a replay review showed his leadoff drive caromed off a railing above the wall in left.Rodriguez extended his scoreless streak to 24 innings before Nicky Delmonico hit an RBI double in the sixth. Cora then brought in Ryan Brasier, who struck out Avisail Garcia to end the inning.MAKING MOVESThe White Sox promoted left-handers Aaron Bummer and Caleb Frare from Triple-A Charlotte. Bummer and Frare join a group of young relievers auditioning for more prominent roles in Chicago’s bullpen in 2019.The 25-year-old Frare is looking to make his major league debut after he was acquired in a trade with the Yankees on July 29 for international bonus pool money. He went 1-0 with a 0.71 ERA in 11 appearances with the Knights.“It’s really cool that they’re considering me to be a part of their future, and I’m excited to be here,” Frare said.SWEET SEPTEMBERThe Red Sox recalled five players from Triple-A Pawtucket: first baseman/outfielder Sam Travis, infielder Tzu-Wei Lin, lefties Robby Scott and Bobby Poyner and right-hander William Cuevas.TRAINER’S ROOMRed Sox: Price (bruised left wrist) played catch. “He feels OK,” Cora said. “He’s gonna try and pick it up tomorrow and see how he feels.” It’s unclear when Price will make his next start. … 3B Rafael Devers (strained left hamstring) could continue his rehab assignment with Triple-A Pawtucket through the end of the minor league schedule on Monday. “We’ll take it day by day, but he needs the at-bats,” Cora said. “He’ll benefit from that.” … Rodriguez, Vazquez (broken finger) and knuckleballer Steven Wright (left knee inflammation) were activated from the 10-day disabled list. Vazquez got the start and went 0 for 3 with a walk.White Sox: Garcia left after six innings because of right knee soreness. He is day to day. … RHP Nate Jones was transferred to the 60-day disabled list. Jones is out with a strained right arm.UP NEXTRed Sox left-hander Brian Johnson (4-3, 4.02 ERA) and White Sox right-hander James Shields (5-15, 4.54 ERA) pitch in the series finale on Sunday. Johnson is 4-1 with a 3.51 ERA in his 11 starts this year. Shields has one win and a 4.83 ERA over his last eight outings.