MLB: LA Dodgers 12, San Diego 4
Homers by Nomar Garciaparra and Manny Ramirez Wednesday helped the Los Angeles Dodgers clinch a tie for the division title with a 12-4 win over San Diego.
A win by the Dodgers or a loss by Arizona during the final four days of the regular season will give Los Angeles the National League West crown in its first season under Manager Joe Torre.
Garciaparra hit a solo homer in the fourth and Ramirez had a two-run shot in the sixth that gave the Dodgers a 6-2 lead.
Los Angeles piled it on with a six-run eighth that included a two-run double from James Loney.
Clayton Kershaw (4-5) lasted 5 2/3 innings to get the win. He allowed three runs on six hits with seven strikeouts.
The loss went to reliever Mike Ekstrom (0-1), who was on the mound when the Dodgers took the lead in the fifth inning.
Los Angeles was playing sub-.500 baseball as late as Sept. 2 before storming past Arizona for the division lead by winning 12 out of 13 games.
