Grove Helps Dodgers Beat Cardinals 4–1 to Clinch Top NL Seed

LOS ANGELES—Will Smith had two hits and Michael Grove pitched five solid innings to pick up his first career victory as the Los Angeles Dodgers clinched the No. 1 overall seed in the National League with 4–1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sept. 25.

Two days after reaching 700 home runs, Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols received a standing ovation when he was announced as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning and struck out.

Grove (1–0), making his sixth appearance and fifth start, gave up one run and three hits to help the Dodgers tie a club record with their 106th win—previously accomplished in 2019 and 2021.

Starting pitcher Michael Grove (78) of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws against the St. Louis Cardinals during the fourth inning at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sept. 25, 2022. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Andre Jackson pitched the final three innings for his first save, with left fielder Joey Gallo making a diving catch of a ball hit by Dylan Carlson to end the game.

The Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman doubled in the first inning, giving him 191 hits and tying his career-high set in 2018 with Atlanta.

Los Angeles scored twice in the first. After Freeman’s run-scoring hit, Adam Wainwright walked Gallo with the bases load to make it 2–0.

Yadier Molina had an RBI single in the second to pull St. Louis to 3–1, but Smith’s RBI single in the bottom of the inning restored the Dodgers’ two-run lead.

Cody Bellinger had an RBI double to right field in the third to push Los Angeles’ lead to 4–1.

Andre Jackson (94) of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates the win over the St. Louis Cardinals with Will Smith (16) at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sept. 25, 2022. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Wainwright (11–11) allowed four runs and six hits with three walks in three innings.

Wainwright and Molina made their 327th career start as batterymates, extending their MLB record.

Trainer’s Room

Dodgers: RHP Yency Almonte (right elbow tightness) faced four batters for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he’s scheduled to join the team Tuesday in San Diego and could be activated Wednesday.

Up Next

Cardinals: RHP Miles Mikolas (11–13, 3.35 ERA) looks to snap a three-start losing streak as he faces Milwaukee RHP Adrian Houser (6–9, 4.62 ERA) in the series opener on Tuesday.

Dodgers: LHP Tyler Anderson (15–4, 2.52 ERA) starts the series opener at San Diego on Tuesday against veteran LHP Blake Snell (8–9, 3.62 ERA).

By Jill Painter Lopez