CINCINNATI — There is the road less traveled. And there is what the Dodgers do every year.
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For the 13th time in the past 14 years, they are the National League West division champions. They clinched it with an 8-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds Thursday afternoon.
The Dodgers scored seven times in the first four innings, leaving little doubt about the outcome.
There was little doubt about this year’s division title either.
The Dodgers spent a total of six days out of first place this season – two in April, four in May. They took over first place for good after beating the San Diego Padres on May 19. They had a double-digit lead for the first time on June 28 and have led by no less than seven games every day since.
Any drama is quickly draining from the playoff seeding race as well. Thursday’s win put the Dodgers four games up on the Atlanta Braves (off on Thursday) with a magic number of six to clinch one of the top two seeds and a first-round bye.
Clinching a postseason berth for the 14th consecutive season (tying the Braves’ MLB record) on Monday required only a champagne toast and a short speech from Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.
“This is kind of the expectation,” veteran Max Muncy said of that. “It’s not something you take for granted, but it’s the expectation that you can reach this point every single year.”
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Clinching another division title, however, did not get the low-key treatment. The team celebrated in earnest.
No one had more reason to wash away the regular season and focus on the postseason than Kyle Tucker. The offseason’s big signing, Tucker has been a disappointment, making his four-year, $240 million contract stand out as the kind of mistake only the Dodgers could absorb.
But Tucker has shown signs of life recently.
He drove in the Dodgers’ first two runs Thursday with a first-inning home run, had an RBI double in the second inning, singled and scored a run in the fourth. With a shot at the cycle, he flew out in the fifth then doubled again in the eighth. Over his past eight games, Tucker is 12 for 29 (.414) with three doubles, a triple and four home runs.
Muncy had a two-run double in the fourth inning and Freddie Freeman went 2 for 3 with two runs scored and a sacrifice fly. Miguel Rojas hit a solo home run in the ninth.
The early lead made the bullpen game a smooth ride. Justin Wrobleski started and retired all nine batters he faced. Blake Treinen gave up a solo home run to Sal Stewart in the fourth inning. But Landon Knack followed that with four scoreless innings.
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