Chris Taylor scored from first on a two-out, sixth-inning single by Max Muncy and Los Angeles ace Clayton Kershaw out-duelled San Diego starter Joey Lucchesi with six scoreless innings on Thursday afternoon as the visiting Dodgers completed a three-game sweep with a 1-0 win. Kershaw, who teamed with four relievers on the Dodgers’ National League-best 16th shutout of the season, picked up the win to finish the regular season with a 16-5 record. Lucchesi fell to 10-10.
Kenta Maeda came on to retire all three Padres he faced in the ninth with the tying run on second to earn his third save of the season. Taylor drew a two-out walk from Lucchesi in the sixth and broke from first as Lucchesi made his pitch to Muncy.
Taylor never broke stride as Muncy lined a single to left-centre and beat the relay from center field Manuel Margot to shortstop Luis Urias to catcher Austin Hedges, who dropped the throw as Taylor was sliding into the plate.
Kershaw, who entered the game with a 5.24 ERA over his previous six starts and has struggled in the first inning throughout the season (6.00 ERA with 10 homers), survived a scare in the first. Margot lined out to the wall in centre to open the game and Josh Naylor followed with a double to right.
But Kershaw retired 14 of the next 15 hitters he faced leading into Luis Torrens’ pinch-hit single leading off the sixth. Kershaw finished his last start before the playoffs giving up no runs on two hits and a walk with seven strikeouts over the six innings.
Meanwhile, Lucchesi didn’t allow a hit until Will Smith led off the fifth with a single past Urias into center. Lucchesi’s final line was the one run allowed on three hits and two walks with six strikeouts in six innings. The Dodgers finished the regular season with a 13-6 record against the Padres, including a 7-2 mark at Petco Park. The Padres were 1-5 on their final homestand and finished 36-45 at home.

Brewers sweep Reds 
in playoff run 
Meanwhile, Orlando Arcia ripped a three-run double in the fourth inning as the Milwaukee Brewers completed their second straight series sweep with a 5-3 victory over the host Cincinnati Reds.
Ben Gamel and Manny Pina each added an RBI double and Chase Anderson (8-4) allowed one run on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts over five innings for the Brewers, who have won seven in a row and 18 of their past 20 contests.
Milwaukee moved one game behind the idle St. Louis Cardinals for first place in the National League Central with three games to play. The Brewers, who have already clinched a playoff spot, also remained one game behind Washington for the top NL wild-card spot, as the Nationals beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-3 on Thursday.
Rookie Aristides Aquino belted a first-inning solo home run among his three hits for the Reds, who played host to Hall of Fame radio broadcaster Marty Brennaman’s final game of his 46-year career with the team.
Brennaman, 77, announced in January that he would retire after the season.
 
MLB Results
Brewers 5 Reds 3; White Sox 8, Indians 0; Athletics 3, Mariners 1; Angels 4, Astros 3 (12 innings); Twins 10, Tigers 4; Dodgers 1, Padres 0; Nationals 6, Phillies 3; Rangers 7, Red Sox 5; Marlins 4, Mets 2; Giants 8, Rockies 3; Pirates 9, Cubs 5