Huyn-Jin Ryu hit a home run and pitched seven solid innings, while Cody Bellinger hit a grand slam, as the Los Angeles Dodgers reached the 100-win mark Sunday with a 7-4 victory over the Colorado Rockies.
With the Dodgers still undecided on a starter for the National League Division Series opener Oct. 3, Ryu (13-5) made his case by giving up three runs on six hits over seven innings with no walks and eight strikeouts. His first career home run was a bonus.
Four batters after Ryu's home run, Bellinger hit his fifth career grand slam and second this season, going deep off left-hander Jake McGee as the Dodgers improved to 100-56 and reduced their magic number for clinching the best record in the NL to one.
Los Angeles joined Houston and the New York Yankees to give the major leagues three 100-game winners for the third straight season. Before 2017, the only years with three 100-win teams were 1942, 1977, 1998, 2002 and 2003.
The last-place Rockies started fast, getting a home run from Garrett Hampson in the first inning, his sixth. Ryu took over from there, keeping the Rockies off balance until Sam Hilliard's two-run home run in the seventh. It was Hilliard's sixth of the season.
Corey Seager gave the Dodgers a 6-3 lead in the seventh inning with his 18th home run and his sixth-consecutive multi-hit game. Rookie Will Smith made it 7-3 in the eighth with his 14th home run and first since Aug. 31.
Despite entering with an 11.85 ERA over his previous eight starts, Rockies right-hander Antonio Senzatela held the Dodgers in check early with four scoreless innings. That all changed with Ryu's leadoff home run in the sixth as the right-handed batter just cleared the wall in right-center.
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A Joc Pederson walk, followed by singles from Gavin Lux and Justin Turner loaded the bases and chased Senzatela from the game. The move to the left-handed McGee was not the answer as Bellinger hit his 18th home run against a lefty this season. He entered the year with 18 homers against lefties in his previous two seasons.
Senzatela (10-11) gave up four runs on seven hits over four-plus innings with three walks and four strikeouts.
The Dodgers finished 8-1 against the Rockies at home this season and 59-22 overall at Dodger Stadium, the best home record in Los Angeles Dodgers history.
ATTENTION GETTERS
The Dodgers finished the season with a total attendance of 3,974,309 in 81 home dates, topping the previous club record of 3,857,500 set in 2018. The Dodgers sold out 28 games this season, but Sunday's gathering of 47,948 for the regular-season finale was not one of them.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rockies: 3B Nolan Arenado was back in the starting lineup Sunday after missing Saturday's game with a stomach bug.
Dodgers: INF Max Muncy missed his second consecutive game with a tight left quadriceps, an injury that ofccurred during Friday's game against the Rockies. He is expected to start when the Dodgers open their final road trip of the season Tuesday at San Diego. . RHP Joe Kelly has made just one appearance over the last eight days as he continues to work through an unspecified injury that the Dodgers have labeled a leg issue which is not related to a muscle or ligament.
UP NEXT
Rockies: Following an off day Monday, Rockies right-hander Jeff Hoffman (2-6, 6.71) will take the mound at San Francisco in the series opener against the Giants.
Dodgers: Following an off day Monday, left-hander Rich Hill (4-1, 2.68) will return to the mound Tuesday to open a series at San Diego after knee soreness cut down his return from a forearm strain on Sept. 12 at Baltimore.
