Dodgers Win Pennant on Bellinger, Puig Homers

LOS ANGELES (CNS) - The Los Angeles Dodgers planned a day of strategizing and planning today, as World Series Game One loomed in Boston.

The Dodgers are the first team to win back-to-back National League pennants since the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008 and 2009.

They will take first pitch at the venerable Fenway Park in Boston at 5:09 p.m. Pacific time Tuesday, on the strength of home runs by Cody Bellinger and Yasiel Puig homered in the 5-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers Saturday to advance to the World Series.

Bellinger's two-run homer in the second gave the Dodgers a 2-1 lead at Milwaukee's Miller Park. He was chosen as the National League Championship Series' Most Valuable Player.

Puig's two-out, three-run homer in the sixth was the Dodgers' lone hit in 10 at-bats with runners in scoring position.

Left fielder Chris Taylor preserved the Dodgers 2-1 lead when he ran 85 feet, to catch a shot off the bat of Christian Yelich on the warning track with two outs in the fifth inning. Yelich is a Westlake High School graduate.

“At that point in time I thought the game was tied,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “But CT gets a great break on the ball, and really a game-saving play.

“Once the game is tied anything can happen. The momentum shifts. But that was certainly a signature play at the time.”

The Brewers forced the best-of-seven series to go the distance, with their 7-2 victory Friday in Game 6.

The Dodgers will begin the World Series Tuesday at Fenway Park against the American League champion Boston Red Sox.

This is the first time the Dodgers will make back-to-back World Series appearances since 1977 and 1978, when they lost to the New York Yankees on both occasions. They lost to the Houston Astros in seven games in last year's World Series, the first World Series appearance since 1988.

The Dodgers have faced Boston in the World Series once before -- 1916, when they were known as the Brooklyn Robins and lost four games to one. Babe Ruth was Boston's pitcher in Game 2, pitching all 14 innings in a 2-1 victory.

Saturday's victory came on the 30th anniversary of the Dodgers defeating the Oakland Athletics to win the 1988 World Series, their most-recent World Series triumph.

Ryan Madson, the third of five Dodger pitchers, was credited with the victory, allowing one hit and striking out two. Milwaukee starter Jhoulys Chacin was charged with the loss, allowing two runs and three hits in two innings and walking one batter before being replaced by a pinch-hitter.

The Brewers took a 1-0 lead when their second batter, Yelich, homered off Dodger starter Walker Buehler. The Brewers were shut out over the final 8 2/3 innings, advancing three runners past first base, but none past second.

The four Dodger relievers -- Julio Urias, Madson, Kenley Jansen and Clayton Kershaw -- retired 13 of the 14 batters they faced, including the last seven.

“I'm just so proud of our guys for enduring this roller coaster of a season,” Roberts said. The Dodgers were nine games off the NL West lead on May 8 and were never above fourth from April 27-May 27.

“A lot of people had their hand in this. And for us to just continue to lean on each other, depend on one another and stay the course, it says a lot about the focus, the toughness of this team. Coaches, training staff, baseball ops, scouts, and so many people got us to this point.

“So I'm just really proud of this entire organization and look forward to giving ourselves a chance to bring the championship back to Los Angeles.”

Photos: Getty Images


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