LOS ANGELES -- Once again, the Dodgers are surging in September.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto received an outpouring of run support as he racked up an MLB career-high-tying 10 strikeouts across seven innings of one-run ball against the Reds on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium. The 14-1 victory capped off a three-game sweep of Cincinnati and extended a season-high seven-game winning streak for L.A.
"It was good to see us break out the way we did," manager Dave Roberts said. "Obviously, Yoshi was fantastic, efficient, going seven innings. … Just across the board offensively, fantastic."
The Dodgers' magic number to win the NL West is at 6 after the rout. They could clinch a postseason berth as soon as this weekend's series in Miami, when they are expecting an additional boost with the planned callup of top prospect Josue De Paula, according to a source.
Yamamoto threw the ball as if his margin for error was miniscule, rather than the double-digit cushion he had by the time he left the mound.
The Dodgers' bats kept the pressure on the Reds all evening long, but they veritably exploded when they batted around in a six-run fourth inning in which they kept the line moving with some small ball. It was the first time L.A. had scored six or more runs in a single inning since June 27 in San Diego, which was also the last time the team scored 14 or more runs in a game this season.
Yamamoto cruised for most of the evening, scattering three hits and a walk. His lone snag was serving up a solo homer to Elly De La Cruz -- who homered in his fifth straight game -- in the fourth inning. He breezed his way to his 13th win, setting a single-season career high in his third year in the Majors.
While Yamamoto should have a couple more starts remaining in the regular season, he certainly looked postseason-ready.
"In October, I'm pretty sure there will be more intense games ahead of us," Yamamoto said through interpreter Yoshihiro Sonoda. "I'd like to take the rest of our season to maintain my condition, and then however many starts I have left, I just want to take it one at a time to help myself get ready for October."
After posting a losing record in August (13-14), the Dodgers are off to a much better start in September, having won seven of their first nine games this month. They're getting hot at the right time, similar to last year, when they snapped out of a summer swoon to finish the season on a high note.
"I just know we were kind of going through it for a while, and we just find ways to win," Mookie Betts said. "I think that's the beauty of this ballclub. We just figure out ways to win, whether we're hot or not."