Turner injury mars Dodgers’ victory

PHILADELPHIA — It hasn’t been easy lately, but the Dodgers are on the brink of taking their fifth straight NL West title.

Pinch hitter Andre Ethier and Curtis Granderson homered as the Dodgers clinched at least a tie for the division, ending a fourgame losing streak Thursday by beating the Phillies 5-4. The Dodgers can win the division Friday with a victory over the Giants or a loss by the Diamondbacks to the Marlins.

The Dodgers avoided a fourgame sweep by the last-place Phillies, winning for just the sixth time in 26 games.

“It was situational things that helped us,” manager Dave Roberts said. “We scratched one across. The (homers) were huge.”

Not all the news was good. Third baseman Justin Turner bruised his right thumb when he was hit by a pitch from Mark Leiter Jr. in the first inning. X-rays were negative, and he was listed as day to day.

“Anytime you get hit in the hand, it’s scary,” said Turner, hitting a team-leading .321 with 21 home runs and 70 RBIs.

Ethier, who has missed most of the season with a back problem, made it 4-4 with a home run in the seventh off reliever Ricardo Pinto (1-2). It was Ethier’s sixth career pinch homer. Chris Taylor followed with a triple and scored the go-ahead run on a grounder by Austin Barnes.

Rookie Walker Buehler (1-0) pitched a hitless inning to win his first major-league decision. Kenley Jansen got four outs for his 39th save.

After the game, Roberts said righty Kenta Maeda was moving to the bullpen to get ready for his postseason responsibilities.

“From here forward, we see him as a weapon in the bullpen,” Roberts said. “He’s done it in the past and has really thrived.”