Dodgers hold off Giants, gain in home-field race
SAN FRANCISCO -- Brett Anderson pitched 7 2/3 innings and the Dodgers caught the Mets for home-field advantage in the National League Division Series with a 3-2 win over the Giants on Thursday at AT&T Park in the career farewell of San Francisco starter Tim Hudson.
Although the Dodgers and Mets have identical 89-70 records, New York holds the head-to-head tiebreaker with three games remaining for each.
"Obviously, we want to get home-field advantage," said Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal. "We don't really want to go to New York more than once. Hopefully we beat the Padres [this weekend] and get the home-field advantage."
The retiring Hudson (8-9) was charged with three runs in 2 1/3 innings, while Anderson (10-9) reached a career high of 180 1/3 innings and bolstered his claim to Los Angeles' No. 3 starter spot for the postseason.
Video: LAD@SF: Anderson pitches 7 2/3, allows two runs
Hudson received a standing ovation from the home crowd and hugs from all his teammates as he walked off the mound.
Video: LAD@SF: Hudson exits to a standing ovation
"I was proud that I was able to hold it together there," Hudson said. "The last couple weeks have been a little bit of an emotional rollercoaster for me. It's been fun. I've had so much fun over the last 17 years, and today was a really special day for me."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Howie do it: Howie Kendrick went from first to third on an Adrian Gonzalez single in the third inning, and in the fifth, he doubled for his first extra-base hit since straining his left hamstring Aug. 9. Even though Kendrick was activated, manager Don Mattingly said the second baseman still feels tightness in the hamstring area, but he didn't show it in this test.
Video: LAD@SF: Ethier reaches, Kendrick scores
"It was good at home, but bugged me a little bit when we got to Denver," Kendrick said. "We did a lot of work on it here and it's not completely 100 percent, but it feels great. Today I didn't even think about it, it felt so good."
Curtain call: Hudson, Major League Baseball's active wins leader (222), passed the torch to the Mets' Bartolo Colon (218), as he walked off the mound for the final time. Giants manager Bruce Bochy said before the game that the veteran's day would be short, and after seeing his starter allow two batters to reach base in the third inning, he pulled him from the game.
"It was a little emotional," Bochy said. "It's a special moment. I just wanted him to take it all in and enjoy it." More >
Pagan's pinch-hit: Angel Pagan entered the game in eighth, replacing Nick Noonan, and he stepped up to bat with Jarrett Parker on third. Pagan made the most of his chance, delivering an infield single to push the Giants' first run across.
Video: LAD@SF: Pagan hits an RBI infield single
Road weary: Despite the win, the Dodgers finished the regular season 37-44 on the road, matching the Giants for sixth-best in the NL.
WHAT'S NEXT
Dodgers: Alex Wood opens the final home series of the regular season against the Padres in a 7:10 p.m. PT start. He is coming off a tough Coors Field loss, but in his last start against San Diego, he allowed three hits in seven scoreless innings.
Giants: The Giants welcome the Rockies to AT&T Park, as they open up a three-game series to close out the season, beginning Friday at 7:15 p.m. PT. Chris Heston, who's coming off his first win in two months, will get the call. The right-hander tossed five innings of four-run ball to beat Oakland on Sunday.
Watch every out-of-market regular-season game live on MLB.TV.