Los Angeles Dodgers’ Max Muncy sits on the ground after avoiding a wild pitch thrown by Colorado Rockies reliever Mychal Givens during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ A.J. Pollock heads for home after hitting a solo home run off Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Mychal Givens during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Betts reacts after scoring from second base on a wild pickoff throw from Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Mychal Givens during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Betts scores after a pickoff throw to hold Betts at second base went awry from Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Mychal Givens during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, in Denver. Colorado Rockies catcher Drew Butera is at right. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies’ Matt Kemp reacts after striking out against Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) to end the fifth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Edwin Rios throws to first base for the out on Colorado Rockies’ Kevin Pillar during the fifth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Chi Chi Gonzalez gets a new ball after giving up a solo home run to Los Angeles Dodgers’ Chris Taylor during the fourth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Chris Taylor runs the bases on a solo home run off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Chi Chi Gonzalez during the fourth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies second baseman Garrett Hampson throws to first base for the out on Los Angeles Dodgers’ Edwin Rios during the fourth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts catches a fly ball hit by Colorado Rockies’ Nolan Arenado during the fourth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Justin Turner nears home to score on a triple by Chris Taylor off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Chi Chi Gonzalez during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
A tribute to the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is displayed on the scoreboard before a baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Colorado Rockies on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Edwin Rios, left, applies a late tag as Colorado Rockies’ Raimel Tapia steals third base during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Chi Chi Gonzalez, center, confers with catcher Drew Butera, left, and pitching coach Steve Foster after giving up a two-run triple to Los Angeles Dodgers’ Chris Taylor during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies’ Raimel Tapia slides safely into second base with a double as Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Chris Taylor tries to catch the throw during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw works against the Colorado Rockies during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Chris Taylor watches his two-run triple off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Chi Chi Gonzalez during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger reches up to hold on to his batting helmet as he scores from first base on a triple by Chris Taylor off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Chi Chi Gonzalez during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Betts, right, reacts to a strike called by home plate umpire Quinn Wolcott during the first inning of the team’s baseball game against the Colorado Rockies on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Chi Chi Gonzalez works against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner warms up for the team’s baseball game against the Colorado Rockies on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts warms up for the team’ baseball game against the Colorado Rockies on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Max Muncy warms up for the team’s baseball game against the Colorado Rockies on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Pitcher AJ Ramos, left, who was just brought up by the Colorado Rockies, talks with left fielder Matt Kemp as players prepare for a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black throws batting pratice to players before a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies’ Garrett Hampson jokes with teammates as they warm up before a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies’ Matt Kemp warms up before a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies’ Nolan Arenado warms up before a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
The Dodgers will play their first postseason game a week from Wednesday. Increasingly, it appears they will be the number-1 seed in the best-of-three wild card round.
It’s also starting to look like Clayton Kershaw will be on the mound.
Kershaw allowed one run over seven innings in the Dodgers’ 6-1 win over the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Saturday. The Dodgers got home runs from Chris Taylor and AJ Pollock, and never trailed en route to their fifth straight win.
The Dodgers (38-15) lead the second-place San Diego Padres (33-19) by 4 1/2 games in the National League West. Both teams will have seven regular-season games remaining after the completion of tonight’s game between the Mariners and Padres.
If San Diego loses Saturday night, the earliest the Dodgers can clinch their eighth consecutive NL West title is Sunday. If San Diego wins, the Dodgers can clinch no sooner than Tuesday. Monday is an off-day for both teams.
Kershaw (6-2) allowed only four hits, did not walk a batter, and struck out four. He figures to get one more regular season start, Friday against the Angels. That would allow Kershaw to start the Dodgers’ postseason opener for the first time since 2017.
With a 2.15 earned-run average, Kershaw leads the Dodgers staff and ranks seventh among qualified National League pitchers.
“The way he takes care of himself is like no one else I’ve seen,” Manager Dave Roberts said of Kershaw. “The numbers are just a byproduct of all he’s done. We’ve needed his lead because what he’s done for Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May and even Walker is huge.”
The Dodgers never trailed Saturday. Taylor tripled against Chi Chi Gonzalez (0-2) in the first inning with a pair of runners on base, staking Kershaw to a 2-0 lead. The Rockies scored their only run in the bottom of the first, when Raimel Tapia doubled up the middle of the diamond, stole third base, and scored on an RBI groundout.
Taylor hit a solo home run off Gonzalez in the fourth inning, his seventh this season, to give the Dodgers a 3-1 lead.
Pollock led off the seventh inning against Mychal Givens with his 12th home run of the season. Later in the inning, Austin Barnes scored from third base on a wild pitch. Mookie Betts scored from second base when Givens tried to pick him off, only to throw the ball away into center field.
Jake McGee pitched a scoreless eighth, and Kenley Jansen pitched a scoreless ninth inning in a non-save situation.
