Dodger Stadium pulsed with an energy that transcended a typical rivalry game, however fierce. What began as a crucial matchup against the San Francisco Giants—culminating in a 6-3 victory for the Los Angeles Dodgers—became an indelible chapter in franchise history. It was a night defined by powerful swings from Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts, but ultimately, it belonged to Clayton Kershaw, whose gritty performance clinched the Dodgers’ 13th consecutive playoff appearance.
The air was thick with anticipation, a blend of competitive fire and poignant reflection. The Dodgers, facing their perennial rivals, needed a win to solidify their hoped-for march to the World Series.
They got it, thanks in part to the offensive firepower of their superstars. Shohei Ohtani launched a towering three-run homer, providing the Dodgers with their first lead of the game. Mookie Betts added a solo shot, extending the lead. The runs were doubly important as Giants pitcher Robbie Ray was pitching masterfully, keeping the Dodgers silent for the first few innings or so.
However, the evening’s narrative was anchored by the man on the mound, Clayton Kershaw. Having announced his plans to retire following the 2025 season, every pitch he threw carried an extra bit of weight.
Manager Dave Roberts captured the sentiment perfectly, saying, “You could feel it in the air, even before the first pitch. Clayton, he’s just a different breed. To go out there in what could be his last regular season home start, against the Giants, with so much on the line… that’s the stuff legends are made of. He battled, he truly battled. It wasn’t always pretty, but he found a way, like he always does. That’s why he’s Clayton Kershaw.”
Kershaw’s outing was a testament to his enduring will and competitive spirit. He pitched 4.1 innings, battling through each at-bat against a determined Giants lineup. His final out of the regular season at Dodger Stadium was a strikeout of San Francisco slugger Rafael Devers, after Roberts asked him candidly, “Can you give me one more hitter?”
Despite admitting his stuff wasn’t his best, Kershaw’s resolve was unwavering.
“I don’t know what to say, honestly. It’s… it’s a lot. To be out there, in front of these fans, in this stadium, knowing it might be the last time in the regular season… it’s overwhelming. I just wanted to give us a chance to win.
The Dodgers officially clinched their 13th consecutive playoff appearance. While the win against the Giants secured their spot, the clinching was also aided by the Arizona Diamondbacks’ 8-2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. For the Dodger faithful, celebrating the achievement with Kershaw on the mound, against their fiercest rivals, was the only way it should have happened.
As Roberts emphasized , “”The guys rallied around him, you saw the energy. Ohtani and Mookie with those big swings, that’s what we expect from them. But tonight, it was about more than just the win. It was about honoring one of the greatest to ever wear this uniform, and clinching that playoff spot in front of our home crowd. It’s a moment we’ll all remember.”
Kershaw reflected on the broader impact of the night, saying afterwards, “The guys, man, they picked me up. Shohei, Mookie, those were huge. And to clinch the playoffs here, tonight, with this group… it means everything. This organization, this city, they’ve been so good to me. I’m just grateful. Grateful for every single moment.”
Neither Roberts nor Kershaw would confirm Kershaw’s appearance in the upcoming playoffs, with Roberts offering a firm, “We’ll see,” and Kershaw deferring to the team’s management.
“I’m ready, willing and able to do whatever it takes to have us win the World Series again,” he said.
The confluence of Kershaw’s potential farewell, the rivalry intensity, and the playoff clinching created yet another evening etched in Dodger lore. It was a night where the past, present, and future of the franchise converged, while looking ahead to another postseason run.
Here’s how we blogged it:
FIRST INNING
Top
Heliot Ramos puts Kershaw’s third pitch into the center field stands.
Kershaw strikes out Willie Adames.
Rafael (no relation) Devers is at 2-2. He walks.
Matt Chapman is at 0-2. 1-2. There is a chat show on the mound. He gets to first on an error.
Wilber Flores be at 0-2. He be out.
Casey Schmitt is at 1-1. He flies out to deep right field.
Giants 1, Dodgers coming up.
Bottom
Shohei Ohtani flies out to short center field.
Mookie be at 1-2. He flies out to center.
Teoscar “No relation” Hernandez is at 2-2. 3-2. He flies straight up and out.
Giants 1, Dodgers 0.
SECOND INNING
Top
Jerar Encarnacion is at 3-1. He is walking.
Kershaw strikes Patrick Bailey way out.
Drew Gilbert is at 3-0, and not in a good way. 3-1. He is also walking. Another brief chat show on the mound.
Heliot Ramos is at 2-1. He flies out.
Adames flies out.
Giants 1, Dodgers 0.
Bottom
Freddie Freeman is at 0-2. He sits back down in the dugout.
Tommy Edman gets to 2-2. He flies out to left.
Miguel Rojas hits the first pitch he sees into the left field bleachers.
Andy Pages doubles off the centerfield wall.
Kike “Kike” Hernandez is at 2-0 . 2-1. 3-1. He grounds out to first.
Dodgers 1, Giants 1.
THIRD INNING
Top
Devers is at 3-2. Kershaw sends him to the dugout.
Chapman doubles to the center of center field.
Flores singles and brings Chapman home.
Schmitt stands at 2-1. And then 3-1. The count is full. …and still full. Schmitt is walking.
Encarnacion hits into a perfect double play.
Giants 2, Dodgers 1.
Bottom
Dalton Rushing strikes out.
Shohei flies out to deep center.
Betts is at 2-2. Bye now.
Giants 2, Dodgers 1.
FOURTH INNING
Top
Bailey singles to right.
Gilbert is at 2-1. Make that 3-1. Make that 3-2. He flies out up in the air.
Ramos pops up and out to center.
Consistent thorn Adames gets to 1-2., as Bailey does the hokey pokey at first. And now 2-2. Kershaw strikes him out and quickly looks away.
Giants 2, Dodgers 1.
Bottom
Teoscar gazes at 3-1. And walks to first.
Freeman strikes out.
Tommy Edman (Teoscar gets caught trying to steal second.) is at 1-2.2-2. The count is so full. Edman flies out to the guy standing in right field.
Giants 2. Dodgers 1.
FIFTH INNING
Top
Devers looks at two strikes in a row. Now its 2-2.
Kershaw ends his appearance tonight with a strikeout and emotional goodbye, tipping his cap to the roaring crowd and embracing his teammates. The stadium is filled with the sound of “Kershaw! Kershaw!”
Edgardo (no relation) Enriquez is now pitching for the Dodgers and sails one over the head of Chapman, before striking him out.
Flores grounds out to first.
Giants 2, Dodgers 0.
Bottom
Rojas flies out in some foul territory.
Pages singles to deep left.
Kike arrives at 3-0. 3-1. He gets walked-ed.
Rushing quickly gets to 1-1. Just as quickly to 1-2. Rushing is at 3-2. And out of there.
Shohei drives one out to Parking Lot B, scoring Kike and Pages, and Mookie sends the next pitch to center field, scoring Mookie.
Teoscar strikes. Out.
Dodgers 5, Giants 2.
SIXTH INNING
Top
Schmitt strikes out.
Encarnacion reaches first, and goes to second on a passed ball.
Bailey gets stricken out by Henriquez.
Justin Wrobleski now pitching for the Doyers.
Drew Gilbert is very struck out by Wrobleski.
Dodgers 5, Giants 2.
Bottom
Freeman is very out.
Edman flies out to right field.
Rojas doubles to that spot deep in the left field corner.
Pages double to center field, as Rojas strolls home.
Kike grounds out to first.
Dodgers 6, Giants 2.
SEVENTH INNING
Top
Heliot Ramos has a very full count. Not anymore.
Adames, fortunately very quiet tonight, looks at a strike, and another one. And just like that, bangs out a double to center field.
Devers does the Designated Strikeout.
Chapman singles, scoring Adames.
Flores is shot down at first, so to speak.
Dodgers 6, Giants 3.
SEVENTH-NINTH INNING:
The Giants went relatively quietly in the seventh and eighth, scoring a run to get within three runs, but then roared back to life in the ninth with the Dodgers’ scariest relief pitcher, Tanner Scott (Don’t get me started) on the mound. Unlike recent performances, however, he managed to work himself out of a jam in the top of the ninth, as the Dodgers celebrated.
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