LOS ANGELES (AP) — Chris Taylor has put the Los Angeles Dodgers into the NL Division Series.
Taylor slammed a two-out, two-run homer off Alex Reyes in the bottom of the ninth to give the Dodgers a 3-1 triumph over the St. Louis Cardinals. Reyes entered the game after Cody Bellinger was issued a two-out walk by losing pitcher T.J. McFarland.
A wild pitch by Max Scherzer scored Tommy Edman and gave the Cardinals the lead in the first inning. It remained 1-0 until Justin Turner unloaded a home run off Adam Wainwright in the bottom of the fourth.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts put the outcome in the hands of his bullpen after Scherzer was lifted with two on and one out in the fifth. The LA bullpen came through with 4 2/3 shutout innings, allowing just two hits while fanning six.
Wainwright allowed four hits and two walks with five strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings.
The two clubs were a combined 1-for-15 with runners in scoring position until Taylor’s blast.
The Dodgers get to face the 107-win San Francisco Giants, who say Logan Webb will start Game 1 on Friday. Webb won the NL West clincher on Sunday, hitting a two-run homer and working into the eighth inning.
Kevin Gausman gets the starting nod for the Giants in Game 2.
