Dodgers roll, set sights on West title

SAN FRANCISCO — The Dodgers want no part of a wild-card game or the long flight that would come with it.

The plan: another NL West crown.

Max Muncy and his freeswinging Dodgers mates are headed for a one-game showdown against Colorado to determine the division winner back home, jumping on the Giants from the start Sunday in a 15-0 win for a weekend sweep.

The Rockies routed the Nationals 12-0 at Coors Field, setting up a tiebreaker at Dodger Stadium on Monday that the home team has every intention of taking. The winner gets the division and hosts the Braves in the best-of-five NLDS starting Thursday; the loser is on the road for the NL wild-card game Tuesday against either the Brewers or Cubs.

“We’d rather win the division than be the wild card,” Matt Kempsaid. “We’re going to play it like any game we’ve been playing this last month. We’ve been playing each game like a playoff game. We’ve got to keep it going.”

Walker Buehler will start for the Dodgers (91-71) as the defending NL champions try for a sixth straight West title.

Rich Hill (11-5) pitched twohit ball for seven innings Sunday to keep the Dodgers on a roll.

Manny Machado, Kemp and Muncy all joined the hit parade as the Dodgers left nothing to chance in Game No. 162. Kemp had a two-run double and RBI single among his three hits, while Muncy and Brian Dozier each hit two-run homers. Now, on to game No. 163. “It’s obviously not do-or-die, but I think that it’s a must-win game,” manager Dave Roberts said. “To win the game and get a couple days off, to host the division series is very important.”