LOS ANGELES (AP) - Dodgers pitcher Rich Hill looked sharp in his final tuneup before the postseason.
He allowed just two hits over seven innings and even had a run-scoring single against the Padres in a 10-0 victory by Los Angeles on Wednesday night.
Yasiel Puig, Curtis Granderson and Corey Seager all homered to power the Dodgers.
“Everybody looked great,” Hill said. “We hit the ball really well. Our bats are back on track. Austin (Barnes) did a great job behind the dish and kept a great rhythm. All my pitches were working. It was a good way to end the season and look forward to the playoffs.”
The Dodgers (102-57) still own the best record in baseball and appear to be cruising into the postseason with renewed life in their bats and solid pitching. They tied the Los Angeles franchise record for wins in a season at 102, which was last done in 1974.
In sweeping the Padres (70-89), the Dodgers outscored them 29-5 over the three games. Hill (12-8) struck out 10 and walked two. He even had that hit to left field in the second inning and let out a couple of deep breaths at first base.
“Good timing I guess,” Hill said. “Ready for the postseason. Hopefully that bat stays hot.”
Barnes’ bat is hot as well. He had a career-high three hits, including a two-run double that gave the Dodgers a 6-0 lead.
The Dodgers will host the first game of the NLDS against the to-be-determined wild-card winner on Oct. 6 at Dodger Stadium.
Taylor is batting .287 with 32 home runs and 70 RBIs.
The Padres pitching staff had trouble getting outs once again. Left-hander Clayton Richard (8-15) allowed eight runs and eight hits in five innings. He struck out seven and walked three in his final appearance.
Kirby Yates relieved Richard in the sixth and promptly gave up back-to-back home runs to Granderson and Seager. It was the eighth time this season the Dodgers have hit back-to-back homers.
“It was sloppy baseball from the first play,” Padres manager Andy Green said. “I look at this series and it’s a frustrating series altogether because I think our team has fought so hard to create an identity that we grind out games and we fight and compete, even if one game goes bad we’re bouncing back the next day.
“We kind of gave that identity away this series. It wasn’t just today, it was all three games. Didn’t defend the field, didn’t hit, didn’t have a good approach at the plate, didn’t pitch well. There was nothing done well this series and if it’s on anybody, it’s on me .”
TAYLOR OK
Dodgers outfielder Chris Taylor suffered a left knee contusion in trying to beat a throw to first base in the first inning. He reached on an error. Taylor was checked by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and a trainer and remained in the game but after Seager was walked and Taylor reached second base, he was removed for pinch-runner Granderson.
“Scared me more than anything,” Taylor said. “I slipped off the bag there and kind of jammed it a little. I fully expect to be in there Friday. I think it was more precautionary. No need to risk anything.”
HOME COOKING
The Dodgers had a crowd of 47,273 for the final home game of the regular season. They announced 3,765,856 fans for the season, which marks the fifth straight year they’ve led the majors in attendance. They average 46,492 per game.
NO DWELLING HERE
Richard’s final outing of the season wasn’t one to highlight, but he wasn’t hanging his head over Wednesday’s game.
“I think if you told me before the season started that I would do enough to prove myself useful for the Padres the next couple seasons, I’d be pretty happy,” Richard said “I thought I went about my work and preparation as thoroughly and as positively as I could.”
UP NEXT
Padres: RHP Jordan Lyles (1-4, 7.23 ERA) will make his fifth and final start of the season in San Francisco, where he’s 1-1 with a 5.19 ERA.
Dodgers: LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (5-8, 3.47) will start Friday in Colorado after throwing a successful bullpen Tuesday. He was hit in the left arm by a comebacker Saturday in San Francisco but X-rays were negative.
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