The Los Angeles Dodgers secured the National League West title by defeating the San Diego Padres 7-2 on Thursday night. Will Smith’s tying two-run homer and a three-run surge in the seventh inning led the Dodgers to victory in front of a sellout crowd of 52,433 at Dodger Stadium. This win marked the Dodgers’ first division title clinched at home since 2018, with manager Dave Roberts praising the team’s resilience in overcoming challenges throughout the season

The game was marred by an injury to Freddie Freeman, who left the game after colliding awkwardly and grabbing his lower right leg. Despite this setback, the Dodgers powered through with key contributions from players like Max Muncy, Kiké Hernández, and Mookie Betts. Pitcher Walker Buehler had a solid outing, allowing only one run in five innings, while reliever Anthony Banda secured the win with 1 1/3 innings of effective relief

The Padres initially led 2-0 thanks to Joe Musgrove’s strong pitching performance, but the Dodgers rallied back in the seventh inning and never looked back. The atmosphere at Dodger Stadium was electric, with fans witnessing a thrilling conclusion to a crucial series between the NL West’s top teams. Both the Dodgers and the Padres had already secured spots in the postseason, adding extra intensity to their matchups

Looking ahead, the Padres had yet to announce a starting pitcher for their next game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, while the Dodgers prepared for a bullpen game against the Colorado Rockies, with Cal Quantrill set to start for the Rockies. The stage is set for an exciting finish to the regular season as teams jockey for playoff positioning and prepare for October baseball